


Feels Like Yesterday

by JavierDjarin



Category: Pedro Pascal - Fandom, Triple Frontier (2019)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 113,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29319612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JavierDjarin/pseuds/JavierDjarin
Summary: Elena “Luna” Bohannon and Fransisco “Catfish” Morales grew up inseparable. Out of their tight group of friends, they were the closest (except for Frankie and Santiago, of course). However, it seemed like the universe was against them - trying to keep them apart. By the time they were ready to share their feelings, Frankie was shipped off to bootcamp and Elena left for school. Both were suffering, alone, thinking of everything that might have been. Every night, though, Frankie would look up at the moon and remember the old legend:“Just as the Stars were wandering into the night, the Sun fell in love with the moon. How he wished to see her move than the fleeting moments he shared with her at both dawn and dusk. But they were a world apart.”Now, Elena has found someone; someone from both of their pasts that Frankie always envied. Frankie has come home for good, ready to start his life, but he can’t do it without her. Both Elena and Frankie need to face the difficult past they share before either of them can move on.
Relationships: Frankie Morales/Elena Bohannon (Fem!OC)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Parts of this fic are actually inspired by events in my own life. This is honestly very cathartic for me to write. I also love Frankie, and feel like his character would do some of these events justice/handle them better than they were actually handled in real life. I hope you like this fic!  
> All Spanish translations can be found at the end of each chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie and Elena try to face the truth about what they mean to each other.

##  _“Tell me the story about how the sun loved the moon so much he died every night to let her breathe.”_

## 10 Years Ago

Elena looked in the mirror, obsessively fixing her long, dark curls. She could see her roommate behind her grinning. Rae - best friend and pain in her ass since the beginning of time. Well, best friend aside from Fransisco Morales. He was coming up to visit her, and out of habit she was making sure not one piece of hair was out of place. “So,” Rae said, bouncing on her bed, “are you nervous for your date?”

She sighed and looked at Rae. She was so happy that they were able to room together freshman year of college, but it was moments like this that she wanted to kill her. “It’s not a date, Rae,” she said, “Frankie and I have gone out like this many times.”

Rae slid off her bed and approached her, fixing a curl Elena couldn’t see. “Just tell him,” she said, “he deserves to know how you feel before he goes off to bootcamp.”

Elena spun around with a few tears in her eyes. “He doesn’t even know that I know he’s leaving,” she said, lightly dabbing at the tears, trying to catch them before they ruined her makeup. “Santi is the one that told me they were leaving together. So, why would I tell him anything? He couldn’t even tell me himself that he signed up with Santi.”

She took a deep breath that was shaky. Rae knew she was angry with Frankie. When they’d gone home for Christmas break, the old gang was back together, sans Frankie. He had family stuff, or something, was his excuse. But Santiago Garcia, Frankie’s best friend and someone she viewed as a big brother, told her they’d signed up for the Army and would be leaving for bootcamp in May. Apparently, Frankie made this decision when she left for college. They never kept anything from each other, until that moment, which is what hurt her the most.

There was a knock on their dorm room and she froze. “You need to tell him,” Rae said as she walked to the door. She smiled and leapt into his arms when she saw him. “Frankie!” she exclaimed. “It’s been too long.”

“Hey, Rae,” he said, almost solemn. He fixed his T-shirt and straightened his signature ball cap. Elena noticed it was the same one she gave him that was from her dad’s garage. 

Rae moved out of the way and let Frankie slowly saunter into the room. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her, beautiful as ever. She was wearing those tight jeans he loved so much and a loose v-neck tank top. She, like always, took his breath away. Elena turned and smiled at him, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him. He put his hands in his pockets and tried to compose himself. “Are you ready?” He asked. He turned to Rae. “You want us to bring you back anything?”

She shook her head. “No,” she replied, “I’m heading out myself. I’ll be back in the morning.” She looked at Elena and winked. 

Elena glared at her before grabbing her purse. She followed Frankie out to his truck and hopped in the passenger seat like always. “So,” he said, glancing at her. “Where do you want to go?”

She could feel the awkwardness and tension hanging in the air between them. She shrugged and glanced over at him. She had caught him staring, and she smiled. “The usual?”

“Sure,” he said, stoic as ever.

Elena looked over and glared at him. “Everything okay there, Morales?” she asked, already knowing his answer would be something along the lines of “I’m fine.”

He took a deep breath and glanced over at her again. “I’m fine,” he said. Like clockwork.

“You know I don’t believe you, right?” she huffed.

He nodded and stared ahead at the road. “I know.”

She turned in the truck to look at him. “Look, either start talking or the second we get to the diner, I’m calling a cab.”

Frankie pulled the truck over. “I leave next month,” he said, “and I know you know.”

His words cut through her. Hearing the news from him hurt even more than him hiding it. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” was all she could muster.

Frankie looked at her, trying to smile. Years of unspoken feelings hung between them, but he couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge them. He couldn’t do that to her, not when he was leaving. Santiago told him to tell her everything, because she deserved to know. 

> _“How long have you loved her?” Santiago asked while they sat around their small campfire._
> 
> _“As long as I’ve known her,” Frankie replied, “but I can’t compete with Liam.”_
> 
> _“Fuck Liam, Frankie.”_
> 
> _He sighed and looked at Pope. “Come on, man. He’s one of our friends.”_

> _Santiago shook his head and laughed. “No, he’s one of her friends. You’re just nice to him for her sake.”_
> 
> _“The three of us have known each other since childhood. Since before you and Rae came into the picture. He’s our friend.”_
> 
> _He sighed and grabbed Frankie by the shoulder. “She drops everything for you. I’ve never seen her do that for Liam. You guys have those stupid nicknames for each other: Luna y Sol. Seriously?” He gagged at the cheesiness. “She’s been in love with you for just as long. So, just tell her before you leave.”_

Now was his chance to listen to Pope’s advice, even if he was leaving for who knows how long. “I didn’t want to say goodbye,” he said.

“You don’t have to,” she said, grabbing his hand in hers. He felt a twinge in his chest at the instant contact.

He sighed and rested his other hand on top of hers. “I-,” he stopped, “I shouldn’t have hid it from you. I just didn’t want to see that look on your face when you found out I was leaving.”

Elena tried to grin at him as she moved to the center seat, leaning against him. Instinctively, he threw his arm around her. “Take me to get something to eat, mi Sol,” she sighed. 

He chuckled and held her closer. “Of course, mi Luna. Whatever you want.”

Frankie watched in his mirrors, waiting to pull back out onto the road to head to their usual diner. They walked in, and the hostess sat them at their usual table next to the windows. Elena loved to people watch, and she and Frankie would sit there for hours watching people pass by and make up stories about them as they went about their lives. After they placed their order, Elena noticed that he’d resumed his same awkward and tense aura he had in the truck. She took the paper off her straw and flicked it at him. “Earth to Frankie,” she said.

He seemed to come out of his daze and smiled at her. “I just have a lot on my mind,” he replied.

She felt her heart race as she took a deep breath. “You know, we never hid anything from each other until now. I know you better than anyone, except lately, I don’t feel like I know you at all. I feel like my best friend is slipping away from me, and I don’t know what I did to push him away.” Her voice broke and a tear ran down her cheek.

He looked at that tear, hating himself for having caused it. He remembered times when she’d cried over ex-boyfriends and how he’d hold her until she stopped. He promised himself that he’d never be the reason why she cried, and here he was; he was no better than those other assholes. “Luna, you didn’t do anything. It’s not you -.”

“I swear if you finish that with ‘it’s me’ I will throw water at you and storm out.”

He stopped. “I’ve just been thinking. Long distance relationships are hard. I’m already moving away for bootcamp, and once I’m done there, who knows where I’ll end up.”

Elena’s heart stopped. She was terrified about where this conversation was going, but she wanted him to finish. “I don’t want to start something serious only to fuck it up with leaving. I don’t want her to wait for me, wasting her time for someone like me.”

Her. Elena’s heart sank. Frankie must have been talking about his ex-girlfriend he’d only recently broke up with, Marilyn. They’d been on and off for several months, but Santiago said they’d officially ended things right before Christmas. That must have been why. She took a shaky breath and grabbed his hand across the table. Despite how she felt, she was willing to push those feelings aside to comfort him when he needed it. “I’m sure if you explain everything to her she’ll understand. You care about her so much, that you’re willing to let her go. Look, if it’s meant to be, she’ll still be waiting for you when you get back.”

Frankie looked at her with hope in his eyes. He knew she had no idea he meant her, the one person who’d been there for him his entire life. She’d been there when parents got divorced, when his mom remarried that abusive fuck; she even comforted _him_ when her own dad died. The man was like a second father to him, and so she put her pain aside to take care of him and his grief. She’d given him that hat he wore from her dad’s garage, because she knew he’d want Frankie to have it. Elena had no idea what she meant to him, and his heart ached so badly to tell her but he couldn’t put her through that pain. She would be better off not knowing.

“What if,” he paused, unsure of how to finish this thought, “What if she has no idea how much she means to me, and I’m afraid to tell her because she will try to wait for me?”

Elena looked into his eyes. He was dancing around the topic, and she could tell. Every time he got nervous, he would twitch his lips together. Which is exactly what he was doing now. “Why wouldn’t you tell her?”

The waitress returned to their table with refills and their food, allowing the two of them to take a breather from this conversation for a second. He started to pick at the fries on his plate while she sat there, staring across the table at him. “She deserves to know, Sol. By not saying anything, you’re not giving her the option to make a decision for herself. You’ve made the decision for both of you, and that’s not fair to her. She doesn’t mean anything to you if you wouldn’t include her in this discussion.”

Fuck. She was right. Frankie felt his face start to burn red as he put all of his attention onto his plate, slowly counting each sesame seed on his hamburger bun. He was trying to find anything to distract himself from the truth. _“She doesn’t mean anything to you if you wouldn’t include her in this discussion.”_ That rang in his ears so loud, he thought he would go deaf. 

“Elena,” he said, “she means the world to me, and I don’t want to destroy her by telling her everything and then leaving.”

She started eating. “I love you, mi Sol. You’re my oldest and dearest friend. But sometimes you do the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen. If you don’t tell her, kiss that relationship goodbye.”

He took a bite of hamburger and thought about what she said. “What if I wrote it to her?”

“It’s better, but still incredibly selfish. Because now she can’t talk to you about it.”

He nodded. “I just can’t lose our relationship we already have.”

She set her fork down and looked at him in the eyes. “If it were me,” she breathed, “I would want to know. I wouldn’t want to sit around for years on end pondering all of the ‘what ifs’. Even if you told me in a letter, I would be pissed, but at least I knew. Besides, I’d see you again, because you’re not just going to abandon me. So, we’d still get to talk. And we both know you’d miss me too much.” She smiled at him.

He let out a sigh of relief and returned her smile. “Did you mean it when you said you loved me?” he laughed.

She felt her heart race and all the blood leave her face. They’d said it to each other before, but it was almost platonic. This time, when she said it, she could feel that it meant a little more, but she had to play it off. Frankie didn’t feel that way about her, because he was in love with Marilyn. “Don’t let it go to your head,” she laughed nervously.

He grabbed her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles, sending a wave of heat throughout her body. “I love you, too,” he said. 

***

They pulled into the circle drive in front of her dorm and he sat motionless in the driver’s seat. “Do you want to come up for a bit?” she asked. “We could watch our favorite.”

He laughed and looked at her. “You mean _your_ favorite.”

Elena smiled. “You like _Casablanca_ and you know it.”

Frankie sighed. No, he felt too much like Rick. Hopelessly in love with a woman, but never brave enough to take her for himself. But she loved that movie. “I don’t know why you like it so much, because you complain about the ending every single time.”

“I just like to hope that maybe it’ll end differently,” she said, sliding across the seat to him. “Fine, if you don’t want to watch my favorite, we can watch yours.”

“ _Star Wars_ or _The Godfather_ ,” he laughed.

“Oh, I was thinking _Top Gun_ , but we can watch _Star Wars_.”

He looked down at her. Her eyes were full of so much love for him. Frankie wanted to lean down and kiss her. Take her up on her offer to go upstairs, but he couldn’t. He knew he’d never leave if he did. “I really should get home,” he sighed, “but maybe the next time we can marathon.”

She playfully pouted. “Fine. You better write to me everyday, Fransisco Morales.”

He kissed her forehead. “Expect your first letter next week. As practice.”

Elena wrapped her arms around his him and held him close. “It’s going to be so different without just down the road from me.”

He sighed and looked at her. “I do love you, mi Luna.”

She hugged him tighter and then kissed his cheek. “I do love you, mi Sol.”

Unwillingly, Elena slid out of his truck and walked up to the door. She turned around one last time and gave Frankie a tear filled smile. They were both thankful that the other couldn’t see their tears. Frankie drove away, as fast as he could. He knew Santiago had a date that night, but he needed someone to talk to. He made his way to Santi’s apartment and knocked on the door. He half opened the door until he saw Frankie standing there, distraught. “You told her,” he sighed.

Frankie shook his head. “I couldn’t, and she’s going to hate me because of it.”

He closed his eyes in disappointment and sighed. “You need to tell her.”

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’m going to send her a letter. I can’t do it to her face. If I do, I won’t leave.”

Santi let out a groan, believing that it was almost worse than saying nothing at all . “Get in here,” he said, “I’ve got paper.”

***

Rae walked in with the campus mail in her hand. “You got a letter,” she said to Elena, tossing her an envelope with no return address. 

Elena frowned and looked at the handwriting. She instantly recognized it and smiled. “Frankie told me to be expecting his practice letter.”

She shook her head at Elena and laughed. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell him.”

“He’s in love with Marilyn. You should have heard the way he talked about her. I thought it best to just keep my feelings to myself,” she said, feeling that same tight pain in her chest again. She grabbed a knife and opened the envelope. Three pages with scratchy handwriting fell out. “Holy shit. This is some practice letter.”

Elena gathered the pages and read:

> _Luna,_

> _I’m sorry. I am that selfish that I couldn’t tell you. Or at least in person. I knew if I told you in person that I’d never leave for bootcamp. I’d never become a pilot. This isn’t fair to you, because like you said, I’ve already made the decision for both of us. I should have said something right then and there, but I couldn’t._
> 
> _Santi is sitting here with me shaking his head while I write you this letter, because he knows that I’ve royally fucked everything up. I won’t be surprised if you stop reading here, or if you hate me and never want to see me again. But I just need you to know that I love you. I don’t mean the ‘I love you’s’ you say to your family and friends. I mean I’ve been in love with you since the first day we met in kindergarten. You walked up to that first grader who was picking on Liam and I and punched him right in the nose. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. From that moment on you decided the three of us were best friends, and I was instantly wrapped around your finger._
> 
> _I continued to love you as we grew older; loving you more every day. When my parents divorced while we were in middle school, I didn’t think love existed. But you invited me over the night my dad moved out, and we fell asleep in your basement watching old movies. You had your head against my shoulder, and I remember thinking despite all of that shit I had to deal with, I was still the luckiest guy in the world._
> 
> _From then on, I practically lived at your house. Your parents took after me like I was their own. Especially when my mother married that drunk bastard. I still counted myself lucky, because I was able to spend every waking moment with you. Through all of middle school and high school, all of our exes that we had, we still clung to each other. There was never anyone for me, because she wasn’t you. And I hated all of your boyfriends, because they weren’t me. Marilyn knew. That’s why she dumped me Christmas break, because she knew that I was so hopelessly in love with you._
> 
> _You asked why I couldn’t tell you I signed up with Santi. This is why. I couldn’t bear the thought of having to tell you and then leave you. I didn’t want to look into your eyes as you cried, because everything would be so different now. I couldn’t leave without you knowing just how much you mean to me, but I was too afraid to tell you._
> 
> _I meant what I said in the diner. I don’t want you to wait for me. I don’t want you to have to go through the pain of a long distance relationship, because it would ruin every good thing we have. But, you have the right to know how I feel. I’ve been in love with you for the last 13 years of our lives, and I’m certain I will never stop. “But, I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of, Ilsa. I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that.”_
> 
> _You will forever be my beautiful Luna, and I will happily swallow these feelings, so you may breathe._

> _“Here’s looking at you kid.”_
> 
> _Love always,_
> 
> _Your Sol_

Elena dropped the pages and let them fall to the ground, heavy with his words. Rae looked over at her and saw tears streaming down her face. She could see into her best friend’s soul as it shattered into pieces so small that she was certain no one could put it back together again. Rae knew that she’d given Frankie a piece of her heart a long time ago, and now he’d destroyed it by telling her exactly what she wanted to hear. She sat in her chair, waiting for Elena to reach out for comfort, but instead she sat on her bed, face buried in her hands as she cried.

**Translation:**

  * _Luna - Moon_
  * _Sol - Sun_



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just as a citation - I did quote Casablanca in his letter to her!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been 10 years since Frankie and Elena have seen each other. But everyone is coming into town for Elena’s brother’s wedding, and Santiago has a few plans up his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moon and sun story that I used can be found here: https://ofwhiskeyandwords.com/the-sun-and-the-moon/  
> I’ve really enjoyed writing this fic so far, so I hope you like this part!

_“There once was a moon, as beautiful as can be, only the stars could fathom, but the sun could not see.”_

**10 years later**

The sun shone through the curtains in her apartment, beams dancing across her face and kissing her awake. She could almost feel the warmth of the early August morning. Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled over to look away from the sun as she stretched across her bed. It was empty. Lazily, she reached out farther across her expensive Egyptian Cotton sheets looking for him, but he’d obviously left. Elena sat up and stretched, running her hand through her messy locks and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She grabbed her glasses off the nightstand before slipping out of bed. Her master bedroom was a disaster from the night before. Clothes thrown everywhere, blankets on the floor. She smiled at the memory; no wonder she was still so tired.

Wrapped in her robe, she walked on to her balcony that was littered with box gardens and plant pots, the flowery aroma overpowering the smell of the city below. After years of hard work, she finally was able to afford the apartment that overlooked Central Park. Well, it also helped that her boyfriend had such a stable and high paying job as an executive for HarperCollins. But she was able to afford this apartment before they moved in together. She did it all on her own. “You’d be proud of me, Papa,” she said looking up at the sky, pretending he was looking down at her, smiling. 

She felt a pair of muscular arms wrap around her, pulling her close against his body as he peppered her with kisses on the back of her neck. “I love waking up to this,” he said.

Elena turned around in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck. His dark hair was still unruly from the night before. She looked into his green eyes and kissed him lightly. “Good morning to you too,” she said, “I thought you already left for work to finish some expense reports.”

He shook his head. “I decided not to go in today. I can work from here. But,” he smiled, “I did make us breakfast.”

She groaned. “How did I get so lucky?”

He kissed her. “I think I should be asking that.” He kissed her again, burying his face into her neck. “Breakfast is ready, but I think I would much rather try that _thing_ we did last night again.”

Elena chuckled. “Can I get some food in my system first, _before_ we satisfy your appetite, Liam?”

He growled. “As always, you win.” He led her back into the apartment to the small breakfast he’d made. He handed her a plate. “Your mother called this morning. She wanted to know what time our flight landed tomorrow.”

Elena sighed. “I sent her our inventory.”

Liam laughed. “I think she just misses us and was looking for an excuse to call. Now that your brother is getting married, I think she’s getting empty nest syndrome.”

She agreed. After her father died, her mother devoted her entire time to her kids. It wasn’t until after she graduated college did her mother finally remarry, Mr. Garcia at that. At the wedding, she and Santi joked about how they always felt like siblings anyway, so why not make it official. There was one person she’d hoped to see there, but he never showed. Apparently, he was off on assignment, whatever that meant. Since then, she, Santiago, and her two siblings, David and María, had moved on with their lives. Her childhood house was completely empty except for her mother and stepfather.

Elena took a bite. “I’ll call her when I get home tonight,” she said. Liam looked at her confused. “It is Sunday, dear,” she added, “Cal and I go shopping and get lunch every Sunday.”

He nodded. “I completely forgot.”

There was a knock at the door. “That’ll be him,” she said. She took another bite before getting up. She opened the door. “You’re early,” she said, hugging him.

“No, you slept in.” He looked at her and then to Liam with a raised eyebrow. “Late night?”

She slapped his shoulder. “I’ll go get ready. Can you two behave while I’m gone?”

Liam turned in his chair to watch her run down the hallway. “Only if he plays nice.”

She scoffed and ran off to get dressed.

***

Santiago drove to the airport, waiting for his brothers to get off the plane. He could hear them before he could see them. “Oh, fuck you, Benny,” he heard Ironhead say. Benny ran ahead of them away from his brother laughing. Redfly was right behind them shaking his head. Santiago was looking past them for Cat, but he was clearly taking his time. He hadn’t been back to San Antonio for close to a decade, and he knew Frankie was feeling every emotion he left behind all at once. 

“Pope!” Benny exclaimed as he ran to him. “We didn’t think you’d make it. Figured you were still down in South America hooking up with hot ‘informants’.”

He laughed. “Fuck you, Benny.” 

Benny held his hands up in surrender. “Man, what have I done to get such love from my brothers.” 

They each took their turns giving Santi a brotherly hug before heading to baggage claim. He grabbed Will by the arm to stop him. “Where is he?”

Will looked back the direction they came. “He’s in the bathroom. He has been a wreck the entire trip home.”

“I expected half as much,” Santi added.

“What happened here?”

He sighed and saw Frankie coming, still wearing that baseball cap she gave him years ago. “He fucked everything up, and he’s about to face it all this week.”

“He was talking in his sleep on the plane,” Will said, “he kept talking to someone named Luna.”

Santiago let out a soft laugh. “Those fuckin’ nicknames.” He looked up at Ironhead, who was confused. “Don’t tell him he did that.”

“You got it, man.” He slapped him on the shoulder and walked off.

Frankie slowly walked over to Santi and gave him a long brotherly hug. “It’s about time I get you back here,” he laughed. 

“I shouldn’t be here,” he said, “and I sure as hell shouldn’t be going to David’s wedding.” He looked like he was about to lose his lunch.

Santiago sighed. “She’s moved on,” he said, “I told you that. She’s happy in Manhattan with her boyfriend. Honestly, they’re probably going to get married before too long. She’s done hating you…probably.” He knew deep down that she was going to be pissed off that Frankie was back, but he was tired of seeing both of them hurting. Every time she came home, she’d walk around her mother’s house and turn down photos of her and Frankie. She hardly ever addressed him by name. Even after all these years, no matter how much she would deny it, Santiago knew she was still in love with Frankie, as he was with her.

Frankie nodded, wanting to believe him. But he knew better. The minute they would see each other, she would come over to him and give him a piece of her mind. _“Even if you told me in a letter, I would be pissed, but at least I knew. Besides, I’d see you again, because you’re not just going to abandon me.”_ That’s what she had said, not knowing the truth. And he did exactly that. He left and once he heard she was dating some guy from her college, and it had gotten pretty serious, he never came back. He couldn’t handle the thought of losing her. Now, he was going to have to face it, because the whole gang was back together and going to her brother’s wedding. “When was the last time you saw her?” He asked, his voice cracking.

“I came home for Dad’s 60th last fall, and she was down here for the whole week.”

“How - how was she?”

Santi looked at him, and slung his arm around his shoulder. “She’s good. Really good. And she’s happier than I’d seen her in years. For a while, I thought you’d broken her for good. But…” he caught himself, not wanting to bring up Liam just yet. “You’ll see on Saturday.”

Frankie shook his head. “I don’t know if I’m going to go. I don’t think seeing her for the first time in a decade at her brother’s wedding is a good idea.”

“Then, I’ll set up something at the house. A bonfire or something, like old times.”

He shook his head again. Frankie looked over to Benny, Will, and Tom. “Maybe just sticking with them for the week will help.”

Santiago shook his head. “You can’t avoid her forever.”

“No, but I can try.”

***

Elena was sitting with Cal at a little cafe, looking through her bags. “Thanks for helping me find a dress for the rehearsal dinner,” she said, “I was about to just show up in my slip.”

He smiled at her and laughed. “Oh, of course. So, now that David is getting married, I guess that leaves you,” he smiled.

She blushed. “You would think, but he hasn’t even acted like he has plans.”

He sipped on his glass of Merlot. “Girl, if the two of you have known each other for as long as you say, I’m sure he’s just trying to find the right moment to propose. Maybe he will take you to an old childhood spot when you’re home and pop the question.” 

Cal was suddenly lost in his fantasy, planning out her life, when her phone rang. They both looked at the caller ID photo and saw Santiago’s face. Cal swooned. He’d had the biggest crush on him when he went home with her as her date to her mother’s wedding. The same weekend Elena and Liam reconnected. “Please answer so I can hear his voice.”

She laughed and answered the phone. “Hey, Santi, ¿qué pasa?”

“Hola, ‘lena. Mama says you’re coming in tomorrow?”

“Sí. Liam and I are taking a morning flight.” She could hear his breathing start to pick up. “Santi, ¿qué pasa con usted?”

“I think it’s better if you hear from me.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t have much time, because they’ll start to wonder where I am.”

“Hey, Pope! Hurry up. Cat is taking us fishing and we are waiting on you,” She heard a family voice of one of his army buddies exclaim in the background. Cat-Catfish. Frankie was home.

Elena froze and looked through Cal with tears in her eyes. She could see Frankie sitting across from her in that diner telling her how he felt without ever actually saying anything, and then suddenly her heart broke again. She gasped. “Santi…”

“It’s my fault,” he said, “I told him to come. It’ll be good for both of you.”

“You know I never want to see him again, and so you told him to come to David’s wedding?”

Santiago sighed. “That’s why I called. To warn you. Look, he’s just as terrified as you are.”

“I’m not terrified. I’m pissed. What kind of nerve does he have thinking he could come to my brother’s wedding?”

“Elena, I love you. You’re my sister in every sense of the word. This was bound to happen eventually. Besides, David invited him.”

She refused to respond to him.

“Look, my old Squad is here. David invited them all too, since he got to know them over the years. They’ll help me keep Frankie preoccupied, if you really don’t want to see him.”

She could feel herself about to lose control. All she could muster was, “I’ll see you at the rehearsal, Santi. Love you.”

Elena slammed the phone down and buried her face in her hands. Cal sat in silence, waiting for her to say something. Instead, she grabbed her phone and dialed Rae. “Hello!” Her voice sang over the phone.

“Did you know?” She asked dryly.

“Well, hello to you too, Sunshine.”

“Rae. Did you know Santi told Frankie to come to David’s wedding?”

She gasped and didn’t speak for a minute. “He did what? I swear I didn’t know, and we had lunch the other day! Why the fuck would he do that?”

Elena let out a few tears. “Why the _fuck_ is he home? Ten years. I have gone ten fucking years without having to deal with him, and so he chooses _now_ to come back?”

Rae waited for her to calm down. “Does he know about you and Liam?”

She let out an exasperated sigh. He was the last person she wanted to see. “We land tomorrow afternoon. As soon as we drop our stuff off, meet me at the usual.”

“Do you want me to kick Santiago’s ass for being a moron?”

Elena stifled a laugh. “No,” she said, “I want that privilege.”

***

Rae looked at her phone, contemplating on calling Santiago and bitching him out. But she knew he was smart. He did this for a reason. She opened her contacts and clicked on his icon. It rang several times before going to voicemail. “Santi, fucking answer your phone. You’ll never guess who just called me,” she said.

He felt the phone vibrate in his pocket as he looked over to Frankie and Benny in the boat. Will and Tom were sitting up front cracking open beers while the other two prepared the bait. With Santi at the helm, and everyone distracted, he could easily answer the phone. He slid it out of his pocket and saw five missed calls from Rae. “Shit,” he whispered. He looked back at the guys again to make sure they were all preoccupied as he called her back. 

“It’s about fucking time you call me,” she said.

He instantly hit the volume on his phone to turn down the sound. “Not so loud,” he whispered.

“Are you out of your goddamn mind, Santi? _This_ week?”

“Rae, I need to call you back. How about I stop by tonight and explain everything?” he quickly whispered over her yelling.

“Who are you whispering to over there, Pope?” Benny yelled, drawing attention to him.

“Rae, I gotta go.”

“Don’t you dare hang up on me, Garcia!”

He ended the call and turned to Benny and grinned. “That piece of Colombian tail I was chasing before I came home.”

Benny whooped and high fived Santi before sitting back down next to Frankie. “I knew it.”

Pope smiled and turned his attention back to his phone. He quickly sent Rae a text: 

> _I promise we will talk when I get back. The guys wanted to go fishing. I can’t talk with them right next to me._

She instantly replied: 

> _You better have a good reason why you brought him here._

***

Cal looked at Elena as she tried to catch her breath. She looked like she’d seen a ghost. He reached across the table and grabbed her hands. “Do you want to tell me what all that was about?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Not really. It’s something from my past I wish would stay buried.”

Cal inhaled and leaned back in his chair. “Obviously it’s not. Whoever this Frankie guy is…” he paused and watched her demeanor instantly change at the mention of his name. “He has you in all sorts of knots.”

A few tears slid down her cheek before she looked up at Cal. “I want to stay mad at him,” she said, “but I know the moment I see him, everything will be forgiven.” She cried into her hands. “I was finally able to move on. I am finally happy with my life. Why does he have to come home and fuck everything up?”

“Who is he?” He motioned for the waitress to bring another bottle.

“Fransisco Morales.” She breathed his name. It had been years since she talked about him to anyone, and saying his name like that made her heart skip several beats. “He was my best friend. He, Liam, and I all grew up together. We were thick as thieves; practically lived with us through middle and high school. We went everywhere and did everything together. Honestly, there was…no _is_ no one that knows me better than Frankie.”

“Not even Liam?” He asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at her.

She let several more tears slide down her cheek as she drank from her wine glass. “It’s complicated.”

“No, it’s really not.”

Elena took in several deep breaths. “I love Liam. I have my whole life. He’s a good man that I know will never do anything to hurt me. He’s been there for me when others abandoned me.”

“Others meaning this Frankie guy.” Cal crossed his arms and looked at her.

“Frankie,” she took in another deep breath, trying to calm herself, “he hurt me. Bad. Like, cut me deep to the bone, and it took me forever to heal from it.” She grabbed her wallet out of her purse and pulled out a wrinkled, aged envelope that had been folded in half and shoved into the cash section. “The last night I saw him, we had this serious talk about long distance relationships. The entire time, I thought he was talking about someone else, but when I got this in the mail the following week, I realized how dumb I really was.”

Elena handed Cal the letter to read. “And you carry it with you?”

“It’s stupid, I know,” she said, wiping her eyes with her napkin, “but Frankie was the most important person in my life for thirteen years. When my dad died, he was the only one who could keep me together; keep me going. This letter told me everything I ever wanted to know, and it destroyed me. So I carry it around as a reminder of my lowest point. A reminder to never let myself be this weak again.”

Cal read through the letter and gazed back up at her. “Oh, sweetie,” he said, gently folding it back into the envelope. “Do Liam know any of this?”

She shook her head. “He knows that Frankie hurt me, but that’s it. He has no idea about the letter, his feelings for me, or anything.”

He sighed. “Elena,” he began, “you clearly have some unresolved feelings for him as well.”

She vehemently shook her head. “If anything, it’s the hurt and anger I harbored over the better part of a decade.”

“Are you going to tell Liam?” he asked.

“He’s going to see him anyway,” she said, sipping her wine, “but the last time we talked about Frankie…” she trailed off and tried to forget the biggest fight she and Liam ever had. She was sure they would have ended right then and there if it hadn’t been for Rae calling in the middle of it. After that, they never finished that discussion. Never revisited that topic. Frankie was a forbidden name in their house. “Well, we don’t talk about Frankie.”

“I thought the three of you grew up ‘thick as thieves’,” Cal added.

Elena nodded. “That was until about high school. Then everything became a competition. They would only hang out together in our group. Never just the three of us or just the two of them. I knew what was happening, but I never knew how to put a stop to it. I couldn’t choose sides, because they both meant so much to me. That was, until one day when Liam and I had plans. Frankie’s truck stalled in the middle of an intersection, and he was rushed to the hospital after a car struck him. He called me and told me he was fine. Just a broken arm, but I left Liam without a second thought. I burned him, bad. Ever since then, whenever we bring up Frankie, it turns into a huge fight.”

Cal sighed. “Look, if you and Liam really love each other, Frankie won’t come between you at all.”

She started to space out, dissociating from the conversation. She knew what Cal didn’t. Liam was jealous of Frankie. He always was, and he knew that Elena and Frankie had a deep, unspoken bond that couldn’t simply be swept under the rug after ten years.

***

The sun was starting to set, creating beautiful purple and orange clouds across the sky. She stood just outside her apartment complex and looked up with a large smile on her face. “Have you heard the story about the moon and the sun?” she asked Cal, who was starting to wave for a cab.

“What?”

“The sun loved the moon so much that he died every night to let her breathe,” she recited. 

Cal looked at her look at the sky while she continued her story: 

> _“During the time when Earth was simple, the Sun shone brighter than anything in the sky. He brought everything joy and warmth, but he was lonely in the sky. Then there was the Moon. When the sun would grow tired, she would rise into the sky with her beautiful stars, but her beauty went unnoticed by everything on the earth. As she only shined while they slept. The Stars hoped that one day they could get closer to her so she wouldn’t feel so empty, but they could not. She was untouchable, surrounding herself with a blanket of darkness through the cold nights. One day, the Sun was sliding out of the heavens, and he caught a glimpse of her. She was peeking up, a rare side of her being exposed to the light. So, just as the Stars were wandering into the night, the Sun fell in love like a snowball hurtling down a mountain. How he wished to see her more than the fleeting moments he shared with her at both dawn and dusk. ‘Go,’ she whispered to him one of these nights, her voice as sweet and sorrowful as the last light of morning, ‘Go and let me breathe, for you and I have decided fates. You illuminate the day, and I cast a glow on the night. We will never be. Our connection would go against what all people believe, all they know.’ During the summer he would stay a little longer, just in case she would change her mind. But she would say ‘Don’t you dare abandon your blessing of light for my darkness.’ Those were the last words the Moon was strong enough to speak to the Sun.”_

They both stood in silence while she smiled up at the sky, seeing the Moon making her appearance early, and the sun staying just a little longer so he could see her one last time before he disappeared. Cal broke the silence by clearing his throat. “Is that you and Frankie?” he asked.

She blinked her eyes and glanced over to him. “It was our favorite myth my mother used to tell us when we were kids. We joked that he was the Sun and I was the Moon, because he would do everything to make sure I wasn’t alone in my darkness, and I would always try to lift him up so the world never missed out on all the light he could give.”

Cal placed his hand over his heart. “You’re killing me with this,” he said, “be careful this week at home. Call me if you need anything.”

She hugged him. “I will. Love you, dear.”

“Love you, kid.”

She made her way back up to her apartment, where she found Liam sitting in the office working on his expense reports. Elena leaned against the doorframe watching him. She smiled at the sight. His left eye would squint a little every time he’d get frustrated with his work, and she thought it was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen. Her heart soared as she looked at him. Elena wasn’t lying to Cal when she told him how happy Liam made her. After all, they’d been friends their entire lives, and he had been there for her when she needed him most. But, then her mind drifted to Frankie. She’d been in love with Frankie for as long as she could remember. He was her Sol. _But the Sun and Moon are not destined to be together. I have to let him go, for good._ She thought to herself. 

Cal looked over and saw her standing there. “You’re back early,” he smiled, reaching for her to join him.

She dropped the bags by the door and slid onto his lap, kissing him passionately. He smiled against her lips and returned the favor. “Miss me that much?” he said.

Elena pulled away and looked down at him, with sadness in her eyes. “We need to talk about this week.”

He tensed up. “What’s wrong?”

She took a deep breath. “Santiago called me today,” she began, “and he wanted to warn me that Frankie was going to be there.”

She felt Liam go rigid. He sat there for several seconds, looking past her, with anger in his eyes. When she’d picked Frankie over Liam that fateful day, he’d never forgiven Frankie. Their friendship had ended right then and there. Ever since then, his hatred for Frankie grew, especially when he crushed Elena the way he did. “How do you feel?”

Elena ran her hands down Liam’s chest. “Hurt. Angry. The same emotions I’ve had for the last ten years.”

“I thought you’d moved past this,” Liam said.

“I have, Liam,” she retorted, standing up, “but I never got closure. I deserve that. I have questions that deserve to be answered.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose before answering. “Why does that matter if you’ve moved on?”

She felt her hands start to shake. “Because, he was such an important part of my life for so long, and losing him the way I did hurt. I want to know why, and if we can still be friends after all this time.”

Liam shook his head and laughed. “It’s never been about ‘being friends,’ Elena. Look, I don’t know what happened between the two of you before he left for bootcamp, because for some reason you won’t tell me, and I have respected that. But we both know that Frankie has been in love with you since the first day you met, and sometimes I think that you loved him too.”

“Liam, whether or not I had feelings for him back then doesn’t matter. Why? Because I love you. I am here now, _telling you_ that he’s back home. I could have hid this from you, but instead I decided to tell you so we could talk about him like reasonable adults.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I know that you hate Frankie, for reasons I can’t understand. But, please, for me just set that aside. I’m not going anywhere. Put faith in me. Just because Frankie is home doesn’t mean anything.”

He reached out for her hands and held them. He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles and sighed. “I have faith in you, always,” he said, “but not when Frankie is involved. It’s like you forget everything that doesn’t concern him. He has some sort of hold over you, and you’ll drop everything for him the minute he needs you.”

She didn’t try to argue that, because she knew that Liam was right. It pained her to see Liam suffering the way he was. He was actually afraid that this week, he would lose her. He loved her more than anything, and he knew that with Frankie back in their lives, he would lose the one person he held dear.

***

Rae rolled over and looked at the clock on her night stand. 1:00 AM. The doorbell was constantly being rung at random intervals, and it was driving her nuts. She grabbed an old army hoodie that Santiago let her have when he returned from bootcamp and marched down the stairs. Yanking open the door, she saw Santi standing there with a grin on his face. “You look good in that hoodie,” he chided.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” she asked, obviously annoyed. He let himself into her house and made his way to the kitchen. “ _Please_ , come in. Have a _drink_.”

Santi laughed and made himself a quick drink. “First off, I’m sorry I hung up like I did,” he said, “but Benny was getting suspicious.”

She leaned against the door jam and rolled her eyes. “Why the fuck is Frankie here?”

He took a sip of his whisky and sighed. “You know why,” he added, “Liam isn’t going to make her happy. Frankie is a miserable fuck. They belong together.”

Rae grabbed his drink and took a sip. “She won’t ever trust him again,” she said.

He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer and set the glass on the counter. “You and I _both_ know she will hate herself if she stays with Liam. He’s a good man, but she’s not in love with him.”

“You seriously invited Frankie home to break up Elena and Liam?” Rae laughed and wrapped her arms around Santi’s neck. 

He shrugged and smiled at her. “We both wanted to see this for years. Why are you fighting it now?”

“Because,” she said, “Elena is my best friend, and if she says he’s happy, then I refuse to ruin that.”

Santi kissed her deeply. “What can I do to convince you otherwise?” He grinned and kissed her jaw. “Because she’ll be happier in the long run.”

Rae stopped him, forcing him to look at her. “You’ve done enough,” she said, “we just need to let them settle this _on their own_ , mi amor.”

He laughed at her. “Fine. Whatever you say.” 

She shook her head and turned to walk away, but he stopped her. “¿Puedo pasar la noche?” He asked.

“Si esto termina bien, puedes quedarte a pasar la noche. Hasta entonces, buenas noches, Santiago,” she smiled at him as she left him in the kitchen. “Lock the door on your way out.”

**Translations**

  * _¿Qué pasa (con usted)? - What’s up (with you)?_
  * _¿Puedo pasar la noche? - Can I stay the night?_
  * _Si esto termina bien, puedes quedarte a pasar la noche. Hasta entonces, buenas noches, Santiago. - If this ends well, you can stay the night. Until then, good night, Santiago._




	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena comes into town for her brother’s wedding, knowing exactly who is waiting for her when she lands. Her home town is full of memories she and Frankie shared together, and it’s hard to forget all the good times.

_“The sun so radiant, he burns so bright. The moon so luminous, but only showed her face during the night. She was untouchable, surrounding herself with a blanket of darkness.”  
_

Elena boarded the plane alone Monday morning. “The office called this morning,” Liam said as they were packing the last few things. “I’ll take the first flight out tonight or tomorrow.”

“The engagement party is on Thursday. Just make sure you make it then,” she said, kissing his cheek. She didn’t look at him as she placed her toiletry bag in her suitcase. 

“Hey, ‘Lena,” he said, lightly grabbing her chin, “I’m not angry about last night. Frankie just brings out the worst in us.”

She shook her head and tried to stop the few tears from spilling over. “He brings out the worst in you, Liam. I just want to make sure that you’re actually going to work and you’re not bailing on me because of him.”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. “I swear I’m not bailing on you. Besides, do you think I want you down there alone with _him_?”

Elena tried to laugh, but she couldn’t force it. She knew he was right. There was no way he’d let Frankie anywhere near her. So, now, here she was, doing just that. Boarding a plane to go home, alone. She prayed to God that Frankie was preoccupied somewhere, but she knew Santi. He had something up his sleeve for bringing him home. The people around her slept peacefully, but the entire time they were in the air, her mind raced. The anxiety of running into Frankie after ten years made her sick to her stomach. She had no idea what she was going to say to him, once she inevitably ran into him. Elena wanted to focus on the emotions that were at the forefront: Anger, Hurt, Pain. But, in the deepest part of her soul, excitement reigned. She longed to see him again, talk to him, hold him in her arms. He had robbed her of that opportunity when he wrote her a letter and never returned. Tears fell down her cheeks as she held that exact letter in her hands, running her thumb over the envelope. The woman next to her looked at her and smiled. _She has to think I am insane._ She thought to herself. 

She folded the letter and placed it back in her wallet, leaning back to try to sleep. It was a restless sleep, because all she could dream about was her Sol:

> _The second David’s car stopped outside their house, Elena ran in, straight to her room. In true dramatic fashion, she threw herself on her bed, burying her face in her pillows and sobbed; sobbing until there was nothing left to sob about. Johnny, her first serious boyfriend, broke up with her. They were supposed to go to homecoming together, but after his summer away, he’d met someone new._
> 
> _He’d pulled her aside after school to tell her he thought they would be better off as friends. Naturally, she did her best to hold it all together, because she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her break down. He turned and left her standing there to absorb the pain alone. She walked to David’s car and slid into the passenger seat, not saying a word to him on their drive home. Now, she was here in her bed, wishing this day had never happened._
> 
> _There was a soft knock at her door. “Go away, Mama. I don’t want to talk about it,” she said without looking._
> 
> _The door slowly creaked open. “Mama sent me up to check on you,” he said._
> 
> _She wiped her eyes and looked over her shoulder. It was Frankie. He was standing in her doorway with two bottles of Coca-Cola, a bowl of popcorn, and a VHS box in his hand. She couldn’t help but smile at him, standing helplessly in the door. “Movie night?” he sheepishly asked._
> 
> _“It’s a Tuesday,” she said, wiping her eyes again._
> 
> _Frankie shrugged and sat on the floor in front of her bed. “So?”_
> 
> _She rolled over so her head was just next to his at the foot of her bed. “What did you grab?” she sniffled._
> 
> _He handed her the VHS box he’d grabbed from downstairs. “I figured tonight would be a great night to watch our favorite,” he smiled at her._
> 
> _“You mean my favorite,” she laughed. He’d always found a way to make her laugh. Her Sol, lighting up her world in her darkest hours._
> 
> _“I never said I didn’t like Casablanca. I just prefer other movies.” Frankie reached for the tape and popped it into the player. She sat up and leaned against her headboard, making room for him to sit by her. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close, while she shoveled handfuls of popcorn into her mouth and sipped on her Coke. “How can you hear the movie over your chewing?” he laughed._
> 
> _She lightly elbowed him in the ribs. “I’ve seen it enough that I don’t need to hear it, mi Sol.”_
> 
> _Elena snuggled against him, feeling safer and more secure than she had in a long time. She had always known how she’d felt about Frankie, but she was so unsure about his feelings towards her. One minute, he’d treat her like she was his world, and the next he’d be with Marilyn. However, it was moments like these that she would cherish. No matter how far apart they drifted, their bond - friendship - was something that she knew they’d never lose._
> 
> _“Everything she knew or ever became was because of him. And she looked up to him and worshiped him… with a feeling she supposed was love,” Ilsa said to Rick in the movie._
> 
> _She sheepishly looked up at Frankie, who was too engrossed in the movie to notice. She was in love with Frankie, and each second he held her like this, she would snuggle closer to him._

The plane’s wheels touched down, forcing her awake. She felt tears still on her cheeks as she wiped them away. After waiting for the aisle to clear, she grabbed her carry on bag from the overhead bin and made her way off the plane. David and María were both waiting in baggage claim. She gave them a big smile and ran into their arms the moment she saw them. “Where’s Liam?” María asked.

“Work called at the last minute. He said he’ll definitely make it down for the engagement party on Thursday, and your camp out before the big day!” she replied.

“It’s going to be a blast,” he smiled, “it’s nice that the whole gang will be back together.”

She felt a twinge in her chest, knowing what he meant. If only David knew how much it pained her to know Frankie was back. “I heard Santi invited his whole squad,” she tried to laugh.

María nodded and grinned. “David extended them the invitation. So, they all made it down.”

Elena picked up her bags and followed them out to the car. “So,” she continued the conversation, “how’s the bride to be?”

David groaned. “She’s so stressed.”

María elbowed their brother. “Carla has every right to be stressed. Do you remember _my_ wedding? The tuxedo incident?”

Elena laughed at the memory. The wedding was delayed a full hour while the tailor had to come to the venue with a new suit for the groom. “We honestly all thought he bolted,” she laughed.

Her sister glared at her and then smiled, running a hand across her stomach. “Well, he’s stuck now,” she replied.

Elena squealed in the car, causing David to flinch. “I’m going to be an aunt? Oh! I am so excited!”

“Which means you’ll need to be back down here in a few months. You’re going to be the godmother.”

She danced in her seat with happiness, completely forgetting about the anxiety ridden week ahead of her. “How far along are you?”

“I’m at the end of my first trimester. So figure your shit out up in NYC and come home.”

David sighed. “How are things up in The Big Apple?”

“Great! The restaurant has been doing wonderful,” she replied, “I found some new investors so I could finally repair the rooftop and get that ready for outdoor dining.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“Thanks, David. If that goes well, I might have enough to open a second across town.”

“What will this one be called?” he laughed.

“Luna’s.”

María turned around to face her with a suspicious eyebrow raised. “So you’ll own two restaurants named Sol’s and Luna’s?”

Suddenly, the anxiety she’d forgotten about hit her again. “I don’t want to hear it, María.”

“You do know he’s back in town, right?” she said.

“I said, I don’t want to hear it.”

She turned back around and adjusted her seatbelt. “Santi called us last night to tell us.”

Elena felt her blood boil. “Santi can fuck off,” she replied, crossing her arms, “he knew better than to do this.”

“I asked him to,” David added.

She froze and stared at the back of her brother’s head, sending mental darts into him. “You did _what_?”

He sighed. “He’s my friend, too, ‘Lena. I miss him. So, for whatever reason you hate him, please just put it aside for this week. Get along for my wedding, and then you can go back to hating him as usual.”

Elena tried to feign a smile at him as she nodded her head to agree with her brother’s terms. “Fine.”

“What happened between you two?” María asked.

She ignored her sister and looked out the window, not wanting to air all of her dirty laundry out in front of her family.

***

Frankie woke up at the crack of dawn, just like he always did. Old Army Habit. He walked downstairs to fix himself some coffee when he saw Pope sneaking in through the backdoor. He looked at the clock on the stove and back to his best friend. “Are you sneaking back into your own house?” he asked, causing him to jump.

“What the fuck are you doing up?”

He held up his coffee mug as an obvious sign before taking a nice long sip. “Damn good, too,” he grinned, “Colombian?”

“Fuck you, Frankie.”

“Seriously, man,” he said, sitting down at his counter, “why are you sneaking in?”

Santi sighed and poured his own cup. “It’s been a long night. Do I really need to do this now?”

Frankie smiled at him and waited for his explanation. “We’re best friends. We don’t hide stuff from each other.”

“Fine.” Santi said, taking a sip of his coffee. “That girl I was on the phone with, on the boat? Yeah, well I just went over to visit last night, and we lost track of the time.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You literally snuck out last night to get laid? We didn’t go to bed until almost one.”

Santi shrugged. “Yeah, so? She doesn’t live far from here.”

He watched Frankie do the math in his head, slowly remembering who lived in the area. This subdivision specifically. He remembered in passing that Santiago said various people they grew up with had bought houses around him. Marilyn, Catherine, and… “Oh my God,” he grinned. 

“It’s not who you think,” Santi said, almost too fast, “so don’t even start guessing.”

“You and Rae?” Frankie started laughing.

Santi grinned and looked at his cup, swirling it as if he was trying to “mix” it. 

“How long?” he asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Santi lied.

“Santi, man, how long?”

He pretended to frown and rolled his eyes as if he was pondering the question before saying too fast. “Senior year.”

Frankie’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“It’s nothing serious. Just sorta an on again, off again thing. Neither of us want anything more than that, really. Especially since I’m always gone, down south.”

He shook his head and took another drink of coffee. “I never would have pegged either of you doing this in a million years.”

Santiago looked at him with a heartfelt smile. “Is it because we all were focused on you and Elena?”

Suddenly, Frankie’s demeanor changed. His muscles went stiff and he stared straight ahead through the window over the kitchen sink. “Come on, Pope. We were just having a good time. Why did you have to bring that up?”

He grabbed both of their mugs and set them in the sink before facing Frankie again. “Because, Cat, her plane lands in a few hours and you need to figure your shit out.”

He sighed and ran his hair through his bed head. “You said she’s happy with a boyfriend in New York. I’m not going to ruin that for her.”

“Frankie,” Pope said, leaning against the counter, “She’ll never actually be happy until you talk to her. You left her a letter and then abandoned her. She still walks around the house and looks at pictures of the two of you with tears in her eyes.”

“She does?” He asked, almost hopeful.

“Well, sorta. She puts them face down when she sees them,” he said as he watched Frankie deflate a little, “but that means she still is hurting. Which means she still has those feelings.”

Frankie shook his head. “I don’t even know what to say to her.”

“Start with an apology.”

“She’s going to want an explanation, and I can’t give her that,” he said, standing up.

They both heard the TV turn on, which meant someone was in the living room. Frankie froze when he heard an all too familiar voice come from the television:

> _“Play it once, Sam, for old time’s sake,” Ilsa said._
> 
> _“I don’t know what you mean Miss Ilsa,” he replied._
> 
> _“Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’.”_

Frankie wandered into the living room that was now empty. He saw the light on, underneath the door of the half bath adjacent to the room, and so he continued to watch. Sam started to play their song, and Ilsa hummed along, matching every note perfectly. Frankie could feel his heart ache as he watched her favorite scene. _“It’s so romantic the way he looks at her for the first time in years.”_ She had said to him. _“The look on both of their faces displays so many emotions that you can almost feel the pain and love.”_ It was such a perfect and heart wrenching scene to watch:

> _The door to the gambling room opens. Rick comes swinging out. He’s heard the music and he’s livid. Sam continues singing. Rick briskly walks up to the piano, “Sam, I thought I told you never to play…” As he sees Ilsa he stops short. Sam stops playing. Two close-ups reveal Ilsa and Rick seeing each other. Rick appears shocked. For a long moment he just looks at her_.

He heard the toilet flush and the sink run, pulling him away from the TV as Will stepped out into the living room. “Are you seriously watching this shit?” he laughed.

Frankie shrugged. “It’s a good movie, if you watch it all the way through.”

Will shook his head. “I have. Hate the ending.”

“He just loves her enough to let her go,” he said, feeling that same tug on his heart strings, “to help her stay safe.”

Pope walked into the living room. “You say that now,” he said, slapping him on the back, “I know a little about women, my friend. She went, but she knew you were lying.”

Frankie shook her head. “How many times have you watched this movie to quote Renault?”

He laughed and started walking upstairs. “Tell your Luna thanks for that.”

***

Elena unpacked her bags in the guest house on her family’s ranch and walked back up to the main house. Her mother, Gloria, was busy starting her usual five course meal, making the house smell like her childhood. She closed her eyes and let the aroma take her back to the time she was much younger. Her father was still alive, and he’d run in behind her, scooping her up in his arms, tickling her as he brought her into the dining room. Frankie was always close behind him. He looked up to Elliott so much, and she remembered how much it destroyed him when he died shortly after they took Frankie in. Elena wished that she could go back to those simpler times before everything turned to shit.

“‘Lena, ¿Eres tu?” she heard her mother ask. 

“Sí, Mama. Huele delicioso aquí.”

“Gracias, mi amor,” she said, not turning to look as she stirred something on the stove. “How was your flight?”

Elena took a deep breath and sat down at the table. “Long.”

“Where’s Liam?” she said, wiping her hands on the rag on her shoulder before pouring her a glass of tea. 

“He had to work,” she replied, “he said he’ll be down before Thursday.”

Gloria sighed. “Work?”

Elena nodded and looked into her glass of tea.

“It’s always work with him,” she said, looking over her glasses at her daughter. She stared at her with the same look she’d see in the mirror occasionally. The only exception was the eyes. Gloria had dark, chocolate brown eyes. Whereas, Elena’s father had beautiful emerald green eyes that he’d graciously passed on to her. “Is he ever going to come down here for the _entire_ vacation without having to work?”

She shrugged. “At least he was able to get off for the wedding,” Elena replied.

“When are you going to stop making excuses for him?” Gloria said.  
  
She felt her pulse pick up. This was a normal discussion she and her mother frequently had about Liam. “I’m not, Mama. He’s an executive for a major publishing company. Life in New York is different from life here. I don’t want to have to defend him from you every time I visit!”

Her mother let out a long breath and grabbed her own glass of tea for a drink before returning to the pot on the stove. “I’m sorry, mija. I just want you to be happy with someone who loves you more than their job.”

“I am, Mama. He does love me more than his job. But taking a week off when you work for other people, is a lot to ask of someone. I’m fortunate enough to have an amazing general manager that can keep my restaurant from burning down while I’m gone.”

“When was the last time he took you somewhere and didn’t have to report into work while you were away?” She asked, stirring the pot some more before adding a little salt. 

Elena didn’t want to think back over the countless vacations they’d taken, because she knew that she’d come up with an answer her mother wanted. Instead, she stood. “Tell Antonio I said hi,” she said, “I’m meeting Rae for lunch.”

“Dinner is at six,” Gloria said with her back turned to her.

***

Rae was sitting at their usual table in the local diner waiting for Elena when her phone rang. “Hello,” she said, without looking at the caller ID.

“Is she on her way?” Santi asked.

She pretended to glare at him as if he were right in front of her. “Santi, do _not_ come to the diner. Let her at least destress before you turn her world upside down.”

“Pope, who the fuck you talkin’ to?” she heard someone yell in the background.

“Probably one of his ‘informants’.”

She raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Are you bringing the entire crew?”

“It was the only way to get Frankie to come. I think he knows I am up to something.”

“Because you are, Santi,” she sighed.

She heard him tell Benny to fuck off before returning to their conversation. “Oh, and Frankie knows I was at your house last night.”

Rae ran her hand down her face. “Great.” She looked up and saw Elena walk in. “Gotta go, ‘Lena’s here.”

Elena immediately saw Rae and headed for her table. Rae stood up and wrapped her in a big hug before they took their seats opposite each other. “So,” Rae said, “Do we just want to talk about it now, or wait until we’ve had our food and you sit there and freak out to yourself in silence for a little while?”

She glared at her. “I guess you just get right to the point,” she said, “I’ve honestly made peace with this week.”

“Sure you have,” Rae said, not believing her.

“I have,” Elena continued, “It’s going to happen whether I want it to or not. Besides, David made me promise to put my feelings aside this week and get along with him for the wedding. So, if I run into him, I have to play nice.”

Rae laughed a little and sipped on her coffee. “We both know that’s all a huge lie,” she said.

She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a low groan. “I’ve decided to just not bring it up,” she replied, “it’s been ten years. Liam and I are together now; I’m finally happy. What good will it do to bring up what happened?”

“You’re right,” Rae agreed, “what good would that do? I mean the only reason you’d bring up something like that, something that has been eating away at you for over ten years, is if you still had feelings for him.”

Elena looked up from her cup of coffee and glared again. “I don’t have feelings for him.”

“I didn’t say you did.”

“I mean, we aren’t even the same people we were ten years ago. How could I still have feelings for someone I don’t even know anymore?”

Rae smiled at her over her mug. “Because you know he hasn’t changed at all.”

The door opened and a group of rowdy men entered the establishment. “Elena!” she heard someone exclaim.

She turned and looked to the door and saw Will and Santi before turning to look back at Rae. “What have you done?” she asked.

Rae shook her head. “This was _all_ your brother. I told Santi no, but he doesn’t listen to me.”

Elena was happy to see Will again. Thanks to Santi always bringing them around, she’d grown rather close with his crew. Maybe he’d be able to keep her distracted and away from Frankie. She looked behind him and didn’t see any sign of him, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief. She stood up and waited for her usual bear hugs from the guys.

Frankie saw her before he walked into the diner. She was standing there with her arms spread wide, obviously waiting for a hug from Santiago. He stopped in his tracks when he looked at her. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. “Cat,” Tom said to him, “what’s wrong?”

“I - I can’t do this,” he said, suddenly being hit with every emotion he’s ever felt for her.

“Do what?”

Frankie saw in the window that Pope was watching him, and he knew he’d come after him if he tried to bolt. This was bound to happen, and honestly, he did want to see her again. He wanted to talk to her, hug her, hear her laugh. But he was afraid of facing the mistake he had made ten years ago. His heart raced and he felt the color leave his face the closer he walked to the door, until finally he was inside the diner. Frozen in place as their eyes met. His heart stopped and he couldn’t breathe. It was just like her favorite scene. He was sure he looked just like Rick with the pain and love all over his face when he saw Ilsa for the first time. Except on her face was nothing but pain; pain he’d caused by being a jackass. He saw Will beeline for her as he wrapped his arms around her and spun her. Jealousy instantly replaced every emotion he felt. She was his Luna. What the fuck did she mean to Will for him to hold her so intimately?

Elena tried to ignore the fact that Frankie was standing in the same room as her as Will wrapped his arms around her for a big hug. Honestly, she loved it. Especially when she saw a familiar look return to Frankie’s face. Her eyes lit up and she laughed as Will kissed her cheek. “It’s about time you make it back down here,” he said.

“Restaurant’s been keeping me so busy, I hardly have time for a day off,” she laughed.

She saw out of the corner of her eye that Frankie was finally moving closer. “Well, you look good. Like _real_ good. You still with that fella of yours?”

She felt her heart race when Frankie was close enough to hear. “Yeah,” she said nervously.

“Damn,” Will said, “I was hoping I’d have a date for David’s wedding.” He winked at her, and she saw Frankie behind him tense up. 

Elena continued to ignore him as she put all of her attention on the other guys. Benny was up next, wrapping her in a hug. “It’s good to see you,” he said, “We’ve missed you, and your cooking.”

She laughed. “I guess you’ll have to stop by this week for a nice Texas style breakfast.”

Benny winked at her. “I wish I could wake up to _that_ every morning.”

“Take a number, Benny,” Will laughed, shoving his brother.

She shook her head and smiled at them. She walked past Frankie without so much as a look at him while she hugged Tom. “Pope didn’t say we’d be meeting two beautiful ladies for lunch,” he grinned.

Elena rolled her eyes at him. “Ever the gentleman,” she said.

She looked over at Santi, thankful the others couldn’t see the death glare she was giving him as she wrapped her arms around him - a little too tight. “Fuck you, Santi,” she whispered.

He smiled as he hugged her, looking at a distraught Frankie. “Glad to see you too, sis.”

She let go of him, and turned away. But not before giving him another glare. Frankie was the last one, and he attempted at a smile for her. Elena felt her heart race, feeling herself start to forgive him, but she stopped. All she did was nod at him. “Frankie,” she said, before sliding in the booth.

It was actually nicer than what he’d expected from her. So, he returned the gesture and muttered, “Luna.”

Her eyes shot up at him, almost offended that he’d used her nickname. Will looked between the two of them as he slid into the booth next to her, finally putting it all together. He looked back at Santiago who just nodded to confirm what he heard. Rae let Frankie slide in across from her as Benny, Tom, and Santi grabbed a table to put up next to theirs. Will, so as to not give away he knew what was happening between Frankie and Elena, opted to act like everything was normal. He threw his arm around her shoulders and hugged her again. “So, where is the lucky bastard?” he asked.

That seemed to bring her out of her daze and she looked at Will. “He had to work, but don’t worry,” she said without looking at Frankie, “he’ll be here in time for everything. He said he was going to catch the first flight out tomorrow.”

Santiago smiled at Rae when he heard that Liam was not here. He leaned closer to her and whispered. “Even better.”

She elbowed him in the side to shut him up. 

“Luna,” Frankie said, trying to get her attention, but she wanted nothing to do with him. His heart ached even more as he watched her give Will her undivided attention. He was ready to reach across the table and punch Will in the face for ever thinking about touching his Luna, for captivating her attention so well that she didn’t even realize he was sitting right in front of her.

Rae leaned over to Frankie and whispered, “It’s good to see you, Frankie.”

He smiled at her and gave her a side hug. She looked at the sadness in his eyes and it pained her to see one of her dearest friends suffering the way he was. Santi was right: he was a miserable fuck. But she knew her best friend. Elena was too stubborn for her own good, and if she wanted to ignore Frankie, she was going to do exactly that.

“It’s nice to see someone take care of Pope while he’s back home,” he whispered back.

She laughed and shook her head. “I’m _thrilled_ you know.”

He saw Elena sneak a glance at him through the corner of his eye, and he immediately turned his attention back to her. But she’d gone back to looking at Will. “Luna,” he said again, but she continued to ignore him, forcing him to listen to her and Will’s flirty conversation.

“He _always_ is working,” Will complained.

She sighed and nodded. “I know, but I made him promise to leave the work at home before he comes down.”

Benny leaned over and smiled at her. “So, whenever you get sick of it, does that mean I can move into your fancy apartment so I can wake up to your cooking everyday?”

Elena laughed at him. “I thought Will said to take a number,” she replied with a wink.

Santiago leaned in, trying to help Frankie out. “Alright, fellas, leave her alone. I’m tired of always watching you harass mi hermana.”

Will laughed and rolled his eyes before leaning down to whisper something in her ear that only she could hear. Frankie felt jealousy rise in him as he watched her blush and then smile. He glared at him, hard - sending daggers straight through someone he would gladly die for on the battlefield.

The conversation turned to the other end of the table as everyone caught up. He’d missed so much, including his squad growing close with his childhood gang. She was only listening to the conversation, and now was as good of a time as any to get her attention. Frankie longed to reach out and touch her hand, but he knew that would just cause a scene if he did. So, he figured third time’s a charm. “Luna,” he said a little louder, but not loud enough to disrupt the conversation.

She finally turned and looked at him, hurt and pain overflowing in her eyes. “What?” she curtly replied.

Rae was the only one paying attention to them. 

“It’s…uh,” he trailed off, trying to find the right words. “It’s good to see you,” he said softly.

She huffed at him and finally turned completely to face him. “I wish I could say the same,” she replied.

Rae gave her a scolding look and mouthed “play nice” to her, but she ignored her. 

“I’m sorry, mi Luna,” his voice cracking a little.

Elena felt her chest tighten and she looked out the window. She was afraid that if she continued looking at him that the flood gates would burst.

“I wish I could tell you how sorry I really am.”

Her head snapped back and she glared at him. “Just write it in a letter and then leave,” she said, “you’re good at that.” She motioned for Will and Benny to move so she could scoot out of the booth as she briskly made her way to the restroom.

**Translations**

  * ¿Eres tu? - Is that you?
  * Sí, Mama. Huele delicioso aquí. - Yes, Mama. It smells delicious in here.




	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Elena and Frankie reunite, a lot of pent up emotions start to spill over.

_"The sun would give anything to catch a glimpse of the Moon illuminating the beautiful night sky.”_

Her snarky remark cut him deeply, but he knew he deserved that. He absorbed it just like he did everything else. Rae sighed and excused herself, chasing after Elena. That left the boys sitting in awkward silence and all staring at Frankie. He glanced over at Pope, annoyed. “This is all _your_ fault,” he said.

Santi smiled and laughed at him. “How? Please, explain it to me like I’m twelve, because if I recall, I didn’t write that fucking letter and leave.”

Frankie balled a napkin in his hand and glanced out the window. “I told you this was a bad idea,” he mumbled.

Santi looked around the table at the other three who were seriously confused by the sudden turn of events. “Cat,” Will started.

Frankie turned and glared at him. “And will you stop putting your hands all over her?” He sighed. “She has a boyfriend.”

Will grinned and looked from Benny to Tom to Santiago. “Cat,” he tried again, “is she the Luna you kept mumbling about on the plane?”

His eyes grew wide as he shook his head to deny the claim. 

Will raised an eyebrow at him. Benny leaned over. “If you don’t tell us, I’ll just go ask her myself.”

He moved to reach across the table for Benny, but Santiago stopped him. “Knock it off, Cat,” he said, “At least you spoke to her.”

Frankie rolled his eyes and stared at Santi. “You’re kidding, right? She said _maybe_ twenty words to me. I’m pretty sure if we weren’t in public, she would have attempted to stab me with her fork.”

“What did you do to her?” Will asked.

He sighed and ran his hands down his face in frustration. “I ripped her heart out.”

Ironhead chuckled. “I feel like you did more than that.”

Pope turned to him. “You know how long I’ve known her? Well, she, Frankie, and _Liam_ have known each other since kindergarten. They were gracious enough to let Rae and me join their little group in fourth grade.”

“ _Liam_?” Will asked, eyes growing wider than Frankie’s.

Frankie’s head jerked up at the mention of his name. “You know Liam too?”

Santiago quickly jumped in before Will could make the situation worse. “We’ve all hung out a few times when we’d been home.”

“Where’s he now?”

“Uh, I think he lives somewhere on the East Coast.” Will started to laugh, but Pope kicked him under the table. 

Rae returned from the bathroom, annoyed. She grabbed Santiago by the arm and pulled him away from the group. Will, Benny, and Tom exchanged glances when they realized Frankie had no idea about Elena and Liam, and they did not want to be the ones to tell him. “Hey, Cat, we don’t mean anything by flirting with her,” Benny said, “I mean she’s fucking gorgeous.” Frankie tensed and looked at him, but Benny held his hands up in surrender. “She’s Pope’s sister. We aren’t going to do anything to her.”

“Yeah, man,” Will added, “she just always seems so sad when she’s home that we just want to make her smile again. She’s got the most beautiful smile we’ve ever seen; you can’t blame us for trying to cheer her up.”

Frankie huffed and cracked a small grin. She did have the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen, and no, he couldn’t blame them for looking for ways to see it. He glanced up at Will. “I used to do the same thing when she was sad,” he said, his voice sad, “I did whatever I could to keep her from being upset, because it killed me to see her hurting. Like she is now.” He looked off in the direction she ran and let out a long breath.

“Fuck, Cat,” Tom said, “no wonder you’re such a miserable asshole right now.” Frankie glared at him. “You’re still in love with her.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. “Since I was five years old.”

The three of them let out a collective “oh shit” sigh as Pope returned. “Will, hand me her purse.”

Frankie grabbed it from Will and stood up. “Where is she?” He asked in a deep baritone that startled them. 

Rae approached Frankie and rested her hand on his arm. “Do you really think hashing things out in the parking lot is the best idea?”

He took a shaky breath. “This might be the only chance I get.” He pushed past everyone and headed out of the restaurant.

Santiago and Rae sat back down in the booth, and he threw his arm around her. “Okay, maybe you were right.”

She glared at him. “I am _always_ right, asshole,” she smiled and lightly kissed him.

“Woah!” Benny exclaimed. “What did we miss here?”

***

She was leaning against her car waiting for Rae to come back with her things. Elena knew that if she went back, she would break down in front of all of them. “Luna,” she heard softly behind her. She froze and refused to turn around.

“Why did you come out here, Frankie?” She wiped her eyes.

He continued to slowly approach her, holding her purse out to her as a peace offering. “You know why,” he replied, “because I need to see you.”

She flipped around almost in a rage. “Seriously? You _need_ to see me? Where was this ten years ago, Francisco? Or even _five_ years ago!”

She snatched the bag from him and started digging for her keys. “I know,” he said, “I fucked up. I shouldn’t have done what I did, and I’m sorry. You don’t think these last ten years have been difficult for me too?”

“Please, enlighten me,” she said, her voice getting louder, “How have you suffered for ten years? How did you deal with learning your best friend in the whole world loved you, only to have him abandon you and never talk to you again? How did you cope with all the emotions and the lonely, drunken nights wishing there was something you could do to turn back time and tell him you felt the same way? How often did you lay awake at night wondering what you did wrong to force the one person you loved more than anything to run away from you?”

He was stuck where he stood, absorbing everything she admitted - everything he’d longed to hear for ten years. “You - You love me?”

She wanted to say something clever, but stopped and stared at him. “Are you fucking kidding me? There were days I practically threw myself at you!”

He sighed, still aching to reach out and touch her - hold her in his arms and kiss her. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Four simple words: You. Had. A. Girlfriend.” She said, holding her fingers up with each word. “Our last night together, you never came out and said anything, so I thought that’s who we were talking about. I wasn’t about to cause more problems for you by spewing everything. I still wanted my best friend, even if that meant I had to watch you with someone else.”

His heart shattered and he rubbed his face with his hands. “We’ve lost so much time,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, Frankie, you lost time. I moved on without you. I’ve got a great life in New York with a man I love.”

“Luna,” he said.

The crack in his voice caused a break in her already damaged heart. She wanted to run into his arms, but she knew that she could never trust him again. The damage he did was so deep that whatever semblance of a relationship they could have had was gone. “Go,” she said, “and let me breathe, for you and I have decided fates. You illuminate the day, and I cast a glow on the night.” She turned for her car. As she opened the door she turned back to him. “I will always love you, mi Sol. Fuck, I even named my restaurant after you.” She laughed, mostly at herself. “I will always love you, but I can never trust you again.”

She hopped in her car and drove away, leaving him in the middle of the parking lot, staring at the spot her car was in. He didn’t see the group watching him from inside the diner, hoping for a better ending. With tears in his eyes, he started walking in the opposite direction of the way she drove. He made it just out of the parking lot when he heard Pope call his name. “Frankie, wait!”

He sighed, but didn’t turn around. He didn’t want Santiago to see the tears running down his cheeks. “Frankie,” he said out of breath from running after him. “Come back inside.”

He shook his head. “I need to be alone,” he said. “I can't…” his voice almost broke.

“Just come back inside, Catfish. Please.”

He wiped his eyes and turned around. “Fine.”

They rejoined the group and didn’t say anything as he resumed his seat against the window. Rae looked at Santiago with sad eyes. She nudged him and motioned to Frankie. He shrugged and mouthed at her “what do you want me to say?”

To which she mouthed back “Comfort him. He’s hurting.”

“Nothing I say will make it better.”

“Just tell him he’s not alone." 

Will and Benny exchanged annoyed glances while they continued their silent argument. Will finally scooted over to get in front of Frankie. "Want to go get a beer?”

He looked up at Ironhead. “Sure.”

“Pope, you got the bill?” He smiled as he and Frankie walked out of the diner together and in the direction of the nearest bar Frankie knew about.

Rae slapped Santi in the back of the head. “I hope you’re fucking happy.”

He smiled at her. “They’re at least talking again.”

Benny interrupted them. “As much as I love this whole ‘Bickering Like an Old Married Couple’ thing you guys have going on, I just have a quick question. Did you do this on purpose, Pope?”

Santiago looked between Tom and Benny and nodded. “You don’t know her and Liam like I do. She’s not happy. She says she is, because she is distracted from the turmoil that eats at her. Liam doesn’t love her. She was just the thrill of the competition between him and Frankie.”

Benny smiled at him. “So we are going to get rid of Liam?”

Rae rolled her eyes. “Seriously, guys?”

“Fuck, yes. He always seemed a little too possessive over her. I felt like he wanted to beat the shit out of us just for looking at her. Time for Operation: Casablanca.”

Tom laughed at him. “Casablanca?”

“What? I heard them debating it early this morning. I figured it had something to do with a girl and Frankie the way he defended it. Is it her favorite movie?”

“You’re not as dumb as we thought you were,"Santi chided.

"Fuck you, Pope.”

***

Frankie and Will sat at the bar with beer bottles in their hands, silent. Will watched Frankie stare into the mirror behind the hard alcohol with empty eyes. He continued to sip on his beer, waiting for his friend to speak. “Thanks,” he mumbled as he took another drink.

It was so soft Will almost didn’t hear it. “No problem, Cat,” he replied, taking another sip.

He sighed and continued sipping on his beer, staring into the mirror. Will rested a hand on his shoulder. “It gets better from here,” he said.

Frankie laughed in disbelief. “Yeah?”

Will didn’t know what else to say, so he decided to make small talk. “Tell me about her,” he added.

“You already know her,” Frankie replied, “what’s there to tell?”

“Well,” Will continued, “if we focus on the good things…”

“I’ll just remember everything I lost.”

Will let out a deep breath and looked at his friend. He’d been a nervous wreck for most of their trip, and when he wasn’t, he was just down right miserable. “What did she say to you in the parking lot?” he finally asked.

“That she has been in love with me just as long as I’ve loved her,” he said in the most monotonous voice Ironhead had ever heard.

“That’s what you’ve wanted to hear. Why are you so…” he motioned at the state of his persona.

Frankie turned to look at Will. “Because she is happy with her boyfriend in New York. She told me she’d never trust me again, and that she doesn’t plan on leaving that life any time soon.”

“Frankie,” he said, “I love you, man. You’ve been there for me when I thought I was completely alone. Which is why I’m here now and why I feel like I can give you some tough love.” He paused and looked at his friend who was waiting for him to finish. “Shape up or ship out. If she says she has been in love with you for all this time, then you need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and fight for her. She wants to trust you, again. You just need to give her a reason to. You guys have so much history together. Find those photos of old memories you have together and remind her of the time when she thought she couldn’t live without you.”

Frankie was taken aback by his abruptness and stared at him. “She’s going to slam the door in my face the second she opens it.”

“Then you stay there and beg for her forgiveness. If she loves you, she will hear you out.” He took a deep breath and continued. “Pope has been telling me that he wishes there was a way he could save her. He knows that she is miserable in New York City, but she is so stubborn and won’t admit it. She misses her family, her friends, you. Go remind her why she misses you.”

He frowned. “Will, I’ve done nothing in the last ten years to deserve her. If anything, the sins of my past are just going to keep her from me. Once she knows who I really am, she will want nothing to do with me.”

“So, you’re just going to make the decision then, for her?”

Frankie stopped when he heard Will’s words echo and fade into her voice telling him the same thing all those years ago. The last time he made the decision for her, he lost her for a decade. She was back in his life, even if it was for a brief moment. He didn’t want to lose what precious time they had left. “No,” he replied, “you’re right.” 

He felt a boost in his confidence as he stood up. “I can’t just let her walk out of my life like that.”

Will finished his beer and grinned at him. “For all of our sakes, please make her smile again.”

***

Elena sat on the couch in the guest house and looked up at the ceiling. It was this moment she was thankful her mother let her and Liam have it. Her room was filled to the brim with wedding decorations. David was staying in his old room until the wedding, and María’s room had been turned into a library years ago. So, Elena and Liam got the privilege of sleeping in the guest house. Here she could cry in private as she felt all the pain she bottled up from the last ten years. 

If she was being honest, it felt good to finally cry about it. The night after she got the letter, she cried until she ran out of tears and then vowed to never cry over Frankie again. However, since she denied herself that grief, she felt this constant weight on her shoulders. Now, it was being lifted. Everytime she closed her eyes, she pictured him standing in the parking lot looking at her with all the love in his eyes. Love that he’d kept buried since they’d met. He was still wearing that baseball cap she’d given him, and her heart ached the more she thought about it. Rae was right. She still had feelings for Frankie. There was absolutely no doubt about it, but she knew that she could never trust him again. He’d broken her heart all of those years ago, and she was terrified that he’d do it again. 

Plus, she also had Liam to think about. If she left him for Frankie, he’d be devastated. She honestly did love him. There was too much history between them not to. However, what she felt for Frankie was insurmountable compared to Liam. She had never felt this way about anyone, and somehow she had convinced herself that she had moved on from him. Sometimes, she would lay awake at night and stare at the moon out her window and wonder where he was and what he was doing. She’d hoped they were both looking at the same moon, and he was thinking about her. Those same nights, she’d drift off to sleep and dream of him: memories, fantasies; things that she knew would never be. 

Now, having seen him again, all of these feelings had come back at one time, and it was overwhelming. She wished that Frankie was here to make everything better, the way he used to. She was almost asleep when she heard a loud knock at the door. She dried her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror in the foyer. She looked like a mess - like she had been crying. At this point, she didn’t care what she looked like. She just wanted this day to be over. She took a deep breath and opened the door. 

Almost like a dream come true, Frankie was standing on the porch holding two Coca-Cola bottles, popcorn, and a DVD in his hand. “Frankie,” she said, her voice cracking from how dry it was, “What are you doing here?”

His heart broke when he looked at her. He realized she had been crying and he wanted nothing more than to protect her from all the pain - the pain he caused. “I do believe this was the usual routine when a boy broke your heart,” he said with a forced smile.

She reached out for one of the Cokes. “I don’t think it counts when the boy is you, Frankie.”

He sighed. “I deserved that,” he said, “I deserve all the hate you throw at me. But please, let me make it up to you. Let me give you a reason to trust me again.”

Elena felt her heart race. It hadn’t done that so long that she worried it forgot how. She gave him a small smile, but then it soon faded. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”

He felt his breathing start to shake. “Luna,” he pleaded, “Please. I’ve spent ten years without you. At least let me spend a few hours with you to make up for it. Let us pretend none of that ever happened and we are just kids watching a movie together.”

Her eyebrows came together and she stared at him. “What am I supposed to do here, Frankie? Just forget everything?”

He nodded and stepped closer to her. “Just long enough to get through our favorite movie, and then throw me out. Scream at me. Tell me you hate me. I don’t care. I just want one more good memory of us together.”

Elena could feel more tears swelling beneath the surface as she felt her walls come down just a little for him. “Don’t you mean my favorite movie?”

Frankie smiled. It was the first time he’d smiled on this trip and really meant it. He nervously walked in and made his way to the living room. Elena grabbed her phone off the table and took the popcorn he brought into the kitchen. She started to send a text to Rae when she saw she had a missed call from Liam. Frankie was still in the living room getting the movie set up, so she decided it was safe enough to call him back. “‘Lena,” he said when he answered, “I was wondering where you were. You forgot to call me when you landed, but I figured you went out to get lunch with Rae or someone.”

She tried to smile, but couldn’t force it. “Or someone?” she asked.

“I know you’re not going to run around with Frankie,” he replied, “are you?”

She sighed into the phone and saw Frankie out of the corner of her eye walk into the kitchen. “Were you able to get a flight for tomorrow?”

“No,” he breathed into the phone, “I have to stay another day, because our COO is coming into town tomorrow and is calling all execs in for a meeting.”

She instantly became angry. She didn’t know if it was because her nerves were already on edge or if she was that upset. “Are you fucking kidding me?” she said.

“What?” He asked, genuinely surprised.

“It is the week of my brother’s wedding, and you’re trapped in meetings?”

“Elena, I said I’d be there as soon as I could. You’ve never had a problem with this before,” Liam replied.

She let out a frustrated breath into the phone. “I just never said anything before.”

“I’ll be there before the engagement party, like I promised.”

She stood in silence staring out the window. Frankie watched her, his heart racing, curious about this man she loved back in New York City. Also jealous of the man for having the one woman who’d ever made him feel whole. 

“You never answered my question,” Liam said, “Have you seen Frankie since you’ve been back?”

Elena glared through the window as if she was staring at him. “You seriously don’t trust me _that_ much?”

“I don’t trust him and the power he has over you,” he said.

“Fine. I’ll see you Thursday.” She ended the call and tossed her phone on the counter, immediately regretting calling him with Frankie in the house.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, slowly approaching her, but still keeping his distance.

“Don’t,” she said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “You lost that privilege ten years ago.”

She saw his gaze drop and he instantly deflated. “Elena…”

She turned to the microwave and placed the bag in the center of the tray. “Again, don’t.”

 _Pop_.

Frankie reached out this time, grabbing her hand.

_Pop. Pop._

They both felt an electric shock travel through their bodies at the instant contact. She looked down at his hand in hers. She wanted to withdraw, but couldn’t bring herself to pull away. It was like she was a teenager again, relishing in every minute she and Frankie could have like this.

_Pop-pop. Pop._

He moved closer to her. So close that he could feel her breath on his chest as she looked over him. His heart was beating so fast, he was sure she could hear it. Neither of them could hear the popcorn any more, as they were both so focused on each other. She looked at his chest, watching it rise and fall at an odd pattern. He was nervous. They hadn’t been this close in a long time. Elena was scared to look up into his eyes, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to control herself. If she were to get lost in his beautiful, chocolate brown eyes, she would ruin her relationship with Liam forever. 

Frankie placed his hand under her chin to lift her gaze to his. She was so beautiful, tear-stained face and all. He felt the heat rising between them the longer they looked into each other’s eyes. Slowly, he leaned in but she placed a hand on his chest to stop him. “Popcorn’s done,” she whispered, turning away from him to grab the bag. 

He cursed the microwave. He was so close to having her back, he could almost taste it. He watched her pour the popcorn into a bowl and then stand with her back to him. Even after all these years, he could still read her like a book. She was struggling with this tension between the two of them and the internal turmoil she was dealing with. Will was right. She wanted to let him in, trust him again. But something was stopping her. He watched her take a deep breath before she turned around with a small smile on her face. He knew that smile, it wasn’t her real smile. It was one she would show others that she was “okay”. He followed her out into the living room where the menu played on a loop, waiting for Frankie to press play. He sat on the floor in front of her, while she sat cross legged on the couch behind him. He handed her a Coke and started the movie. “Frankie,” she softly said.

He turned and looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face again. “Why did you do it?”

Frankie reached for the remote and paused the movie. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to forget that memory completely. It was no use. She wanted an explanation, and he was going to tell her. He wasn’t going to waste any more time with her. “I couldn’t face you,” he said, “If I told you, I would have stayed. You would have stayed.”

“Wh-what?” She felt a chill come over her. She didn’t need him to explain. He let her go because he loved her too much to hold her back, but she needed to hear him say it.

“We ended up where we are supposed to be. If I would have told you everything, we would have put our dreams on hold and resented each other for the rest of our lives. I would much rather lose you to time than to watch you fall out of love with me,” he said, his eyes looked down at the creases in the fabric on the couch. “I died, so I could let you breathe.”

She felt a few tears roll down her cheek as she stared at him. No matter how much everything hurt, she still felt her heart swell for him. Elena rested a hand on his cheek and smiled at Frankie. This time he saw it: her real smile. “Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?”

He sighed. “I was young and dumb. I could hardly tell you that I loved you, and I knew if I told you any of this, you would have waited for me. I had to do _something_ to make you move on. When we were kids, I always wondered if you felt the same. No, I knew you did. Deep down, somewhere, I knew that you loved me as much as I loved you. So, when I wrote you that letter, I knew that it was going to destroy you. You were going to hate me what I’d done, but that you’d move on from it. You’d find someone else to love and make you happy, and I was okay with that. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy and safe…and loved.”

“Mi Sol,” she said. “You know me better than that. I would have moved on, but found you when the time was right. I missed talking to you, hearing your voice. It was so incredibly hard to move on from someone I thought was the love of my life.” She wiped her eyes and laughed. “But who finds the love of their life at five years old?”

He looked at her with seriousness flowing from his eyes. “I did.”

Elena’s heart stopped and her breath completely left her body. Her smile faded as she continued looking at him, but the look in her eyes she gave him was one of love and heartache. “You can’t mean that,” she whispered.

Frankie nodded and moved to sit on the couch next to her. “I do, Luna. Liam knew it too, you can ask him.”

“Mi Sol,” she softly said, as she reached out and touched his cheek. He leaned into it and closed his eyes, trying to burn into his memory the feeling of her hand on his skin. He knew this couldn’t last forever, but he would remember it for the rest of his life. 

Her phone rang and they both looked down at the caller ID. His heart sank when he saw it was Liam calling, but it soared just a little when he watched her send it to voicemail. “There’s something you should know,” she said sheepishly.

“I know,” he said, “You and Liam are together.”

She looked at him, shocked. “How…”

“When your restaurant won all those Michelin Stars and awards, I saw it in the paper. The picture they used was of you and him in front of the building.” He took a deep, shaky breath. “I was just wondering if you’d ever tell me.”

She felt her heart beat in irregular patterns as she nodded. “He takes good care of me,” she said, “and he really does love me.” The last part was her trying to convince herself. 

He lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “Are _you_ happy, mi Luna?”

She nodded and closed her eyes, tears falling from the corners.

“Then, why are you crying?”

Elena took a deep breath and opened her eyes. He was closer to her now, and she could feel all sensible thoughts leaving her. “Because you’re back, and it feels like yesterday all over again.”

Frankie knew if he didn’t do this, he’d regret it for the rest of his life. So, he closed the distance between them and put the softest kiss on her lips, completely expecting her to pull away from him. Much to his surprise, she didn’t. She held onto his face with both of her hands and kissed him back with more fever and passion. He finally pulled away as he looked at her with a smile. Her fingers reached out and grazed his lips as he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She didn’t say anything to him, but instead turned to lean against him. Elena reached forward and grabbed the remote and hit play. With her so close to him, curled into him like she used to, he felt his heart heal just a little. Even if it was for this moment, he had her back. He knew the second the credits started rolling he would lose her again, because she had a life that didn’t include him. None of that mattered to him, because right here and now she was his; just like he was always hers.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter how perfect their night was, the pain from the last ten years will always find a way to the surface. Frankie battles with self doubt and tries to find a way to get back into Elena’s good graces. Elena is hit with some hard truths by Rae.

_“Until one day when the Sun was sliding out of the heavens, he caught a glimpse of her. She was peeking up, a rare side of her being exposed to the light.”_

The credits were rolling, and Frankie looked down at Elena who had fallen asleep in his lap. He lightly ran his hand over her hair and grinned at her. She smiled when he touched her and he felt his heart soar. She looked so peaceful and serene. He didn’t want to disturb her, despite the fact his leg was slowly falling asleep. He gently moved to stretch out a little, and she moved with him, resting her hand on his knee. He leaned back on the couch, letting his head lull against the top as he looked up at the ceiling. 

He couldn’t believe that she was here with him, after so long. His Luna. She was the love of his life, el amor de su vida, and every day after he sent her that letter, he hated himself a little more. He remembered standing at the airport with Santi, looking out the large windows at their airplane, second guessing all of his choices:

> _“I can’t do this,” he said._
> 
> _Santiago came up from behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. “¿Qué vas a hacer entonces? Are you going to go work for that piece of shit your mother married? I already know you’re not going to live with your dad, who offered you that cush job at his business. What was it again? Software or something?”_
> 
> _He sighed. “Fuck him. He walked out on us, had nothing to do with me for close to twelve years, and now he wants to help? I’m not going to ask him for anything, even if I need a kidney and he’s the only match.”_
> 
> _“Look, you’ve always wanted to be a pilot, Frankie. If you don’t get on that plane, how are you going to become one? Your mom and step-dad aren’t going to help you. You don’t have any other back up plans. If you stay, you’re going to be stuck working at your step-dad’s shop.”_
> 
> _Frankie nodded and took in a deep breath. “I can’t leave her. Not like this.”_
> 
> _Santiago sat down in the chair in front of him and leaned against his knees. “You made the decision to tell her everything in a letter. You said you did this for both of you.”_
> 
> _“Have you talked to her?” he asked, looking down at him._
> 
> _“I talked to Rae. She doesn’t want to talk to either of us right now. So, thanks for that.”_
> 
> _He shrugged and sat down next to him. “I didn’t think she’d be upset with you, too. What did Rae say?”_
> 
> _Santi laughed and shook his head. “She’s pissed. Wants your head on a spike.” He looked at Frankie who was running his hands through his hair, balling it up in his fists. “I’m only half kidding. Rae says she has only left their room for classes. She mopes around their room all day and night, reading and rereading your fucking letter. She said that yesterday, Elena went through their picture frames and threw all of the pictures of the two of you into boxes and shoved them under her bed.”_
> 
> _Frankie felt a twinge in his chest as he pictured her walking around their room and ripping down those pictures in a fit of anger and pain. He was nodding and shaking his legs. “Should I call her?”_
> 
> _Santi shook his head. “I doubt she’ll take the call, Frankie. Give her some time, and then write to her. You said she wanted you to write to her everyday.”_
> 
> _He sighed. “That was before I did this. She’ll probably set every one of my letters on fire the second she gets them.”_
> 
> _“Give her time. She has never been able to stay mad at you for long.”_
> 
> _“I feel like this time is different.”_
> 
> _“Flight 4489 for Atlanta is now boarding,” the voice said over the intercom. They stood up and slung their bags over their shoulders. Frankie took a deep breath as he took his first step away from her._

She moved on the couch, shivering, which caused him to look down at her. He grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and gently laid it on her. “Gracias, mi Sol,” she mumbled.

“You’re awake?” he said, tucking more hair behind her ear so he could see her beautiful green eyes. 

She rolled over so she was on her back, looking up at him. “I’ve been awake. I just decided to close my eyes so I could pray this was all a dream.”

He knitted his brows together and looked at her. “I don’t understand.”

Elena sat up and slowly turned to face him. “Frankie,” she sighed, “Liam can never know we saw each other, let alone kissed.”

He felt heat building inside of his chest. “Elena, are you serious?”

She nodded. “Anytime you have been brought up in conversation, it ends with us arguing. I don’t want to ruin the good thing we have going with a mistake.”

“You don’t believe that,” he replied, hurt, “You don’t believe that this was a mistake, otherwise you would have pulled away.”

Elena turned away from him. “I do,” she said, “I can’t do this, mi Sol. I can’t let you back into my life and keep him. And, if I have to choose, it’s him. He was there for me when you weren’t.”

He frowned at her and stood up. “Of course he was, ‘Lena. You don’t think he wasn’t waiting to sweep in the second I fucked up? Everything between the two of us has always been a competition, and you were his biggest prize.”

She glared at him, and stood up. Even though she was shorter than him, she had a way of making him feel small when she was angry with him. “A prize? Seriously, Frankie? Liam has never treated me like I was some _prize_ to be won. He also never toyed with my emotions the way you have.”

“Oh, I toyed with your emotions? That’s real rich coming from you. At least I told you how I felt. You, for years, would string me along, telling me that you’d never find someone as good as me for you. You’d curl up next to me, wrapping your arms around me while we’d watch movies, saying how you wished things could be different between us. My emotions were your fucking play thing,” he felt tears in his eyes. 

“Yeah? Well, you told me how you felt, alright. You told me in a letter and then fucking left. You couldn’t face me, so you just walked out on me. Turned your back, just like…” she paused, knowing if she finished that statement she would have gone too far.

“Just like what?” he said, feeling the anger building inside him. “Say it, Elena.”

“No,” she said.

“Say it. Who am I just like? My dad?”

She started crying. “No, Frankie. You’re not. I was just going to say it to hurt you, because that’s the only way I know how to hurt you.”

“Well, it worked,” he said grabbing his keys and phone off the table.

Elena reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving, but he wouldn’t look at her. “Frankie,” she said, “Frankie, look at me.”

He spun and looked at her with dark, hurt eyes. He could feel himself already start to melt against her touch, but she’d gone too far. She went below the belt. “You want me gone, _Elena_ ,” he said, “message received.”

Frankie pulled his wrist free from her and headed to the door. “Dammit,” she said to herself as she jumped off the couch to run after him. “Frankie, wait.” 

His hand was on the doorknob and he stopped without turning around. He didn’t want to face her, argue with her. They’d gone from a perfect night just like old times to arguing in a matter of seconds. As always, Liam ruined everything for him. “Frankie,” she said, standing in the foyer, “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah? I’m sorry too,” he said, turning the doorknob, “I’m sorry I came over here. I don’t want to ruin the _good thing_ you and Liam have going.”

Without looking back, he walked through the door and down to his car. Elena felt more tears stream down her face as she wrapped her arms around her middle and bent forward. She was afraid if she moved that she would fall apart. She wanted him to run back in, pull her into his arms and make everything better. And the more she pictured it, the more it broke her heart; she was longing for Frankie instead of the one person she should want - Liam. 

Elena wiped her eyes and walked back into the living room to grab her phone. She pressed Rae’s number, looking at the clock. It was about seven at night. It rang four times and went to her voice mail, so Elena dialed again. Finally, Santiago picked up. “What’s up, hermanita?”

She was taken aback at the fact he answered Rae’s phone. “Santi? Where’s Rae?”

He laughed. “She’s with Benny and Tom doing something in the backyard. They’re probably looking for a way to burn down my house.”

She let out a soft sob that she’d been holding in. 

“‘Lena,” he said, suddenly concerned, “What’s wrong? Is Frankie still there?”

She shook her head, as if he could see her. “No. I just -” she took a deep breath. “I need to talk to Rae.”

“I’m coming over,” he said. 

“Santi, no. You need to find Frankie. We…fought. Just, tell Rae to call me.” She sighed, her breath shaking, “and when you see Frankie…”

He breathed into the phone and looked over at Will, who was sitting next to him with a worried expression on his face. “I will, hermanita. Just try to relax and forget about everything,” he replied, “Rae will be over soon.”

He hung up the phone and tossed it on the table. “What happened?” Will asked.

Santi ran his hands down his face and groaned. “We gotta go find Frankie,” he said, “because he’s not going to come back here.”

“Is ‘Lena alright?” he asked.

Pope shook his head. “She only wants to talk to Rae, which means whatever happened wasn’t good.”

Right on cue, Benny, Tom, and Rae walked in from the backyard laughing about something. She leaned over to give Santi a kiss. “Mhm,” he smiled. “What did I do to deserve that?”

“Nothing,” she smiled and sat down next to him. 

Benny looked at Tom and gagged. Santi wrapped his arm around her and looked over to Will before saying anything. “Elena called,” he said.

Rae looked up at him. “What did she want?”

“I think you need to go over there,” he added, “I don’t know what happened, but she’s upset and Frankie bolted.”

“Fuck,” she said under her breath, standing back up. “Where’d Frankie go?”

He shrugged. “Probably the usual spot out at his grandparents farm: the lake.”

She sighed and grabbed her purse off the counter. “I will go clean up your mess, again.”

Santiago smiled at her. “Por eso te tengo cerca, mi amor.”

Rae rolled her eyes and headed out the door. “You sure he headed there?” Tom asked.

He took a deep breath and leaned his head back against the sofa. “Yes, and I don’t have a car, because he took it.” He leaned forward and reached for his phone. 

“Who are you calling?” 

“My brother. Surely David can lend me his car at the least.”

***

Rae let herself into the guest house and found Elena on the back porch with a glass of wine. She was sitting there staring at the letter she’d saved in her wallet. Slowly, almost like she was approaching a wounded animal, Rae made her way out onto the deck. “You still have his letter?” she asked, as she sat down in the adirondack chair next to her.

“I tried burning it so many times,” she said, “but I couldn’t. For some reason, looking at this hurt less than pictures.”

Rae turned a little, crossing her legs and resting against the arm rest to look at her best friend. “You know that Santi and I talk, right?”

Elena rolled her eyes and looked at her. “I know you do more than that,” she replied, “you two are terrible at keeping it a secret.”

“So, then you know we talk. He does look at you like his sister, ‘Lena. He wants to make sure you’re safe and happy.”

Elena leaned her head back and took another sip of her wine glass. “I am, so I don’t know why he decided to tell Frankie to come back.”

She laughed and shook her head at her. “When are you going to give up that lie?”

“It’s not a lie,” she argued, “I am happy!”

“No, you’re not. You run back here every chance you get, with or without Liam. But when we see you without Liam, you’re happier. You just tell yourself that you’re happy so you’ll, one day, believe it. Face it, ‘Lena, you haven’t been happy since you got that fucking letter in the mail.”

Elena frowned and looked at her. “For someone that claims they know me, you have no idea what my life is like. I have everything I could ever want, what’s there to be unhappy about?”

“Yeah, except one thing. Frankie. What’s the point of having everything you could ever want when you don’t have the person you love more than anything to share it with?”

Elena sat her wine glass on the arm rest and folded the letter back into its envelope. “What good is sharing it with that person when you can’t trust them not to hurt you?”

“God, you are so stubborn sometimes,” she said, throwing her head back, “Liam hurts you on almost a daily basis, but you make excuses for him instead. _Excuses_ for a man that doesn’t even love you.” Elena glared at her. “When you came home with Cal for your mother’s wedding, Liam told Santi that he was finally going to make his move. He figured you were over Frankie for good and now would be the time for him to swoop in and ‘save the day.’ He knew Frankie hurt you, and he would look like the good guy if he was there to pick up the pieces.”

Elena shook her head. “If he was that selfish, then why has he stuck around for so long?”

Rae looked at her in disbelief. “You cannot be serious. Everyone sees it. The guys, your brother and sister. Fuck, even your own _mother_ sees through him. So why are you fighting this?”

“Because, Rae. Liam has never ripped my heart out and hurt me so bad that I thought I’d never love again. He may have ‘swooped in’ for selfish reasons in the beginning, but now we have something that’s real. We’ve built a nice life together in New York that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.”

Rae grabbed Elena’s wine glass to take a sip as she tried to absorb everything her friend was saying to her. “Let me get this straight, you feel like you owe Liam, and because of your fucking pride you’re not going to take a shot a true happiness.”

Elena shook her head and refused to answer her question. She looked out over the fields, trying to forget everything that had happened since she landed this morning. “Why are you suddenly working against Liam and I? I thought you said we were good together.”

She took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky, gazing at the stars and the beautiful moon. It made her think of that damn myth Elena and Frankie loved so much and she smiled. “I was happy you were happy,” she said, “Santi tried convincing me for years that it was a facade, and I ignored him. Then, when you saw Frankie today at the diner, I saw something change in you. Behind that pain you’d tried to hide for so long was love. A love I’ve never seen you show anytime you were around Liam, talked about Liam, or even _thought_ about Liam. It was at that moment I knew Santi was right.” She took a deep breath. “You guys took that fucking myth too seriously. Just because the Sun and Moon can never meet doesn’t mean the two of you can’t be together.”

“Rae,” she said, her voice cracking, “I can’t just leave Liam like that. I love him, and I’m afraid to lose him. If he even finds out that I saw Frankie today…”

“What happened?” She asked. “What happened while he was here?”

“Nothing,” she said all too fast.

Rae stared at her. “I know you’re lying. You told Santi you fought. So,” she continued, “what happened?”

Elena leaned back and closed her eyes. _We had a perfect fucking night and I ruined it._ She thought to herself. “Well, he came over and we watched Casablanca like old times.”

“Why is it like pulling teeth to talk to you about this?”

“Fine,” she sighed. “I asked him why he did what he did.” She felt a lump in her throat. “He said he ‘died so I could breathe.’ He sacrificed his happiness so I could live my life.”

Rae let out a small gasp and placed her hand over her heart. “Elena, come on.”

“And then he kissed me.”

“Okay, this all sounds perfect. Why did you fight?”

Elena, exasperated, turned her head to look at Rae. “Because I had to ruin it. I told him that I wish this was all a dream, because I don’t want to ruin what Liam and I had.”

“Jesus…”

“And then I compared him to his dad.”

Rae covered her mouth. “That was below the belt, Elena.”

She nodded and choked back a few tears. “I know.” She wiped her eyes. “But I wanted to hurt him. Like he hurt me.” She was crying now, silently. “I tried to forget the pain he caused me over the last several years, and I just couldn’t. Everything was perfect and felt right, but I couldn’t accept it. I have someone, and…”

“I swear if you say that you’re happy, I will leave.”

Elena’s phone rang and Rae picked it up. “It’s Liam,” she said.

“I’m pissed off at him right now. I don’t want to talk to him.”

Rae smiled and answered the phone. “She’s busy, Liam,” she said.

“Hey, Rae. Is she still pissed off?” he asked.

She breathed into the phone and then chuckled. “What have you done now?”

“Just pass her the phone, please.”

***

David pulled into the driveway of Frankie’s Grandparents’ farmhouse. This was primarily used as a hunting/fishing cabin now that these grandparents both passed. Frankie would frequently come here, alone, to think or decompress. They also had many fishing and camping trips up here when they were much younger; too many to count. The whole gang piled out of David’s Jeep and walked past Santiago’s car that Frankie borrowed. “It’s been a while since we’ve been here,” Benny observed, “You think he’s out at the lake?”

Santiago laughed as they walked in the direction of the lake. It was dark out, but they could see the outline of someone sitting at the edge of the doc. The moonlight illuminated just enough of him to reveal that it was Frankie. The grass had grown a little and was in desperate need of mowing, but the lake was still just as beautiful as the day they’d last been there. Frankie could hear them walking up behind him, but he didn’t bother turning around to face them. Santiago signaled the guys to hang back while he slowly walked out on the dock. “Am I turning into my father?” he asked, looking out over the lake.

Santi took a seat next to Frankie and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “What would ever make you think that?”

Frankie sighed, taking his hat off to run his hand through his hair. “Elena.”

“Shit,” Santi breathed, “You’re not your father, Frankie. That man is a piece of shit. He walked out on you and your mom for what? His secretary that he knocked up?”

“I walked out on her,” he said, “she’s right. I just left without saying goodbye or anything. I packed my bags and ran, just like he did.”

“He ran because he didn’t give a shit about you. You left because you cared so much about her that you didn’t want to hold her back.”

Frankie leaned forward, looking at the moon’s reflection in the lake. The water was like glass, giving a perfect reflection of the sky. Countless stars sparkled around the moon, just like in the legend: so the moon wasn’t alone in it’s darkness. “What does it matter?” he said, “Liam is going to be here in a couple of days anyway.”

Will walked up from behind them and sat down. “Which means that’s a couple more days you have to win her back.”

“She’s not a fucking _prize_ , Will,” he growled.

Benny, Tom, and finally David sat down around them. “No, she’s not a ‘fucking prize’,” Benny said, “but you have two more days to get her back.”

Frankie turned around and looked at David who was laying back on the dock with his hands behind his head. “I’m not a moron, Frankie,” David said, “It’s been obvious since the day you met her. Everyone knows it’s always been you.”

“Liam…”

“Fuck Liam, man,” Santiago said, “I said that ten years ago when you were having the same debate with yourself.”

“Every time she’s been down here with him,” Tom added, “he’s made it a point for her to avoid talking, thinking, or even looking at you.”

“He made sure everyone knew she was his,” Benny said, “Pretty sure he’d deck one of us for even looking at her for too long.”

Will laughed. “I’d flirt with her _just_ to piss him off.”

Benny pushed at him with his foot. “It’d work every time too. That asshole, hated you probably as much as he hated Frankie.”

Will steadied himself on the dock and knocked Benny’s foot away, which resulted in Benny trying to kick Will again into the lake. “What we’re trying to say,” Tom said over their bickering, “is he’s not good for her and she’s too wrapped up in her own bullshit to notice or even care.”

“So, Fuck Liam, Frankie,” Pope reiterated.

Frankie tried to smile and shook his head. “I can’t do anything if she doesn’t want me.”

“She named her fucking restaurant after you,” David said, sitting up on his elbows, staring at the back of Frankie’s head, “Sol’s? Seriously? When María and I went up for the grand opening, we gave her so much shit about it. Liam, somehow, has no fucking idea that she named the one place she feels happy after the one person who used to bring her so much happiness.”

Frankie nodded. “And when Liam gets down here?”

“Let us handle him,” Benny said.

***

The next morning, Elena walked downstairs to fix herself a cup of coffee before heading to the main house to have some breakfast. She quickly got dressed in a pair of short jean shorts and a loose tank top - something comfortable to lounge in after breakfast. She walked outside across the drive and saw Santiago’s car parked next to David’s. She rolled her eyes and cursed to herself. He was the last person she wanted to see right now, and suddenly she was annoyed that her mother married his father. The second she opened the door, she could smell the Texas style breakfast that was soon followed by numerous voices filling the dining room. 

She walked into the kitchen to see Benny standing next to her mother while she fried bacon. “Smells delicious as always, Gloria.”

She laughed. “Gracias, mijo. Now, get your butt back in there and stop eating the bacon as it comes out of the pan.” 

He laughed and kissed her cheek. Neither turned around to see Elena standing there fuming. “Mama,” a voice came from the dining room, “Santi’s eaten the last pancake.”

Frankie walked into the kitchen holding a platter, but he stopped when he saw her. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” she said.

“Language, mija,” Gloria said without turning to look at her daughter. “The next batch is coming, mijo. Set the platter here and force Luna to eat something. She’s too skinny.”

Frankie did what Gloria asked and sheepishly walked over to Elena. “Can we talk?” he whispered.

“No need in whispering, mijo. I have the ears of a bat,” Gloria said as she tossed some pancakes onto the platter without looking at them.

Elena rolled her eyes and walked out of the screen door that led to the back porch, to which Frankie followed. She leaned against the railing with her arms crossed, looking at Frankie as he stood opposite her. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I shouldn’t have left like that last night,” he said, “and I want to make it up to you.”

She sighed. “First off, you can’t just keep ‘making it up to me’ every time you fuck up. Secondly, whatever you’re trying to do here, isn’t going to work. I have Liam now.”

Elena saw him tense up at the mention of Liam, but he was able to bite back whatever snide remark he had about him. “Luna, please. I don’t want us to end on a bad note, and if you don’t want Liam to know, I swear I’ll keep my mouth shut. I just want to end things between us…” he trailed off.

She felt a twinge in her chest with the sudden feeling of finality in his words. “Frankie,” she sighed. He looked at her, pleading with his eyes. Liam was right. She would drop everything when Frankie was concerned, and she was going to do the same thing now. “What did you have in mind?”

He offered her a small smile. “I had a few things in mind. I thought we could pack a lunch and go for a picnic at the lake for starters. Maybe do some fishing. We could go to town, if you wanted to, and just grab lunch down at the diner. But then we would end the day with a bonfire. Santi wants to have everyone over to his place for a bonfire, and I told him I’d make sure you’d be there.”

“If we are in town, people will see us…” she said, watching him deflate a little, “I would much rather spend our time together with just the two of us. Like old times.”

“Just like old times,” he grinned.

She walked over to him and wrapped her arm around his middle, and he threw his arm around her shoulders and walked into the house like they used to. _Just like old times._ Gloria smiled at them. “¿Está todo bien con usted?”

“Mamá,” Elena complained.

She held up her hands in defeat. “I’m sorry. I just want the two of you to be happy again. Estoy cansado de las miradas tristes. Ve a comer algo antes de que Santiago y Benny se lo coman todo.”

They walked into the dining room to see David, Carla, Rae, Tom, Santiago, Benny, and Will all at the table. Benny and Santiago caused the biggest scene and cheered when they entered together. Frankie grinned at him, which did not go unnoticed. Elena saw him smile, happiness exuding from his eyes, cheeks, and even the cute dimples she always loved about him. “Looks like you made up fast,” Benny said, digging into another batch of pancakes.

“Fuck you, Benny,” Frankie said as he took a seat next to him. Elena grabbed the seat next to Rae, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. 

“Frankie,” David said, “this is Carla.”

“Ah, yes,” he said, reaching across the table to shake her hand. “The lucky girl that gets to live with your sorry ass the rest of her life.”

“Hey!” David exclaimed, flicking a piece of scrambled egg at him. “Not as sorry as your ass, douche.”

Frankie laughed. Santiago exchanged a glance with Rae as he noted Elena and Frankie stealing glances and smiling at each other. He leaned over and whispered to her. “He hasn’t laughed this much in years,” he said.

She looked over at him. He was gazing at Elena as she poured syrup all over her pancakes. She saw him smile wider than he ever had, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. “I guess you were right, mi amor,” Rae said, kissing his cheek.

“I’m going to need that in writing,” he smiled, giving her a peck on the lips. 

David and Benny gagged and made fun of the two of them. “Just because your relationship is out in the open,” Benny said, “doesn’t mean we want to watch it.”

Santiago rolled his eyes and laughed. He gazed over at Frankie, who still had his eyes trained on Elena sitting across from him. He was so happy again, and his heart honestly broke for Frankie. Santi knew that once Liam arrived, that happiness would evaporate. His eyes shot over to Benny, who knowingly nodded. Operation Casablanca would be in full swing the second Liam’s plane touched the ground - whenever that would be. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Gloria standing in the doorway watching the scene. Her house was no longer empty, but instead full of laughter and chatter like before. “Mamá,” he said, getting her attention, “You and Pops coming out tonight for the bonfire?”

She smiled at him. “No, mijo,” she said, “We have a lot to get ready around here for the engagement party on Thursday.”

“We can stay to help,” Tom offered, “It’s not like we had a big day planned.”

Gloria grinned at them and shook her head. “I’m sure Antonio would appreciate the help outside. I’ll be in here cleaning.”

“I will _happily_ help cook on Thursday,” Benny laughed, taking another bite of eggs.

“You, mister, will stay out of the house on Thursday so there’s plenty of food for the guests,” she replied, pointing her spatula at him.

“Ben,” Frankie whispered, “I’ll sneak you some.”

Gloria lightly tapped him on top of the head. “Just like old times,” she laughed, “with some troublesome new additions.” She shook her head and walked back into the kitchen. Will and Tom picked up their plates and followed to help her with the dishes.

Santiago leaned back in his chair and sighed. Rae lightly slapped his stomach. “Eat any more, and you’re not going to fit in your tux,” she laughed.

Carla shot her a worried glance. “That’s not funny,” she said with a small smile, “Do you remember María’s wedding?”

Tom walked back out to grab more plates from the table. “Get off your asses and help Gloria,” he said, looking at his crew.

Santiago, Benny, and Frankie jumped up at attention and began helping. Carla elbowed David to get up, and he happily obliged, but not before giving her a quick kiss. She waited until the table was cleared and the men were in the other room before leaning towards Elena. “So,” she grinned, “you and Frankie?”

Elena rolled her eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Rae choked on her coffee, but opted to not get involved in the conversation and ignored the dirty look Elena was shooting at her. “David went out to the lake with the guys last night to talk to Frankie. He said he was pretty upset.”

She looked at Carla and sighed. “It’s a long story,” she said, “and I’d much rather focus on you and David this weekend as opposed to my love life.”

She grinned. “I knew it,” she said, “David told me all those years ago that I was out of my mind. I think he just wanted to ignore it, because you’re his baby sister.”

“Yeah, well, I’m with Liam now. So, it doesn’t matter.”

“So then what are you doing this afternoon,” Rae said, sipping more coffee and looking straight ahead into the kitchen. She smiled and shook her head at Santiago who was trying to towel whip Benny. 

Elena glared at her. “We’re hanging out as _just friends_ ,” she replied, “he wants to make it up to me for what happened last night.”

“Last night?” Carla said, moving into David’s former seat.

“He came over, and we got into a huge fight.”

Carla leaned back in her chair. “I just can’t picture that. The two of you were so close, closer than David and I, if I’m being honest. What happened between you guys?”

She sighed. “He decided I wasn’t needed when making important decisions about my future.”

They heard someone clear their throat and instantly turned to look at the kitchen. Frankie was standing there, almost bashfully and offered a small smile. “Are you-uh-are you ready?” he asked, with a small basket and a blanket in his hand.

Elena felt heat rise in her cheeks, unsure if he heard them talking about him. She nodded at him and stood up. “I’ll see you guys at the bonfire.”

Carla and Rae laughed under their breath as she walked towards to foyer with Frankie close behind. She started walking towards Santiago’s Jeep, but she saw Frankie heading towards the barn. “Where are you going?” she asked, running to catch up with him.

“Mamá gave me the keys to your dad’s old truck. She wanted us to make sure it still ran.”

Elena smiled. Her dad’s truck was an old 1970 red Ford pick-up truck, and when Frankie turned sixteen, her mother had let Frankie drive it around. He took care of it the way he’d seen Elliott do so many times before. David didn’t care much for the truck, he preferred newer and faster. But there was something about it that spoke to Frankie, so he learned from the best. He learned how to take care of it, clean it, and drive it when he was a kid. After he passed when they were thirteen, Gloria decided that if someone was going to care for it, Frankie would. So she gifted it to him on his sixteenth birthday. He never felt right ever claiming ownership, but he still took care of it. Right up until he left and never came back.

Now, it was dusty, and looked like it hadn’t been started in months. Frankie hopped in the driver’s seat and Elena slid into the passenger’s. He turned the key until he hit the sweet spot. The truck wanted to start; the starter did it’s hardest to turn over. “Alright, baby. Come on, now,” he whispered to the truck.

Elena looked over at him and smiled. “Should I let the two of you have some alone time?”

He grinned at her and shook his head. He hopped out and popped the hood. Elena saw him reach in and tinker with something before joining her back in the cab. “That should do it.” He turned the key again, and the old truck started right up. “Just like Pops taught me,” he whispered to himself, but not quiet enough.

Elena reached over and placed her hand on his knee. “He’d be proud of you.” 

They both shared a painful glance; neither of them had to say how much they missed Elliott. He was the only stable father figure Frankie ever really had, and when he died, he’d never really recovered from the loss. Elena withdrew her hand from him and returned to sitting as close to the door as she could. Her body language did not go unnoticed, and Frankie winced a little. _There’s no way this is going to be just like old times,_ he thought to himself. He took a deep breath and put the truck in drive, pulling down the driveway and heading towards his grandparents’ farm.

They’d gone there a lot when they were younger to fish, swim in the lake, ride horses, run through the fields - just to be free. The drive was quiet for most of the ways with each of them stealing glances at the other. Frankie couldn’t help but steal more than a few as he watched her legs move, crossing and uncrossing and her shirt ripple against the breeze of her rolled down window clinging to parts of her body he’d always left to imagination. He would happily take this awkward and quiet drive so long as he could spend more time with her, and convince her that she was wrong about them. They could be happy together; she could trust him.

He slowly turned down the gravel road that led to the old farm house, sunflowers lined the drive. He smiled as he watched her lean her head out of the window to feel the breeze in her hair. The sunlight reflected off the dark brown, giving it a shine that made her look like she was glowing. Glowing just like the moon. This farm was always the one place they shared that made them both utterly happy. It was a place where they were free - free to be, to exist together. When he put the truck in park, he turned to look at her - hair a little wind blown. He tucked a few loose strands behind her ear and smiled. “It looks the same,” she said.

He nodded. “Pope looks after it for me, since I haven’t been back.”

She looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”

“After Abuela and Abuelo passed, they left me the farm. I never come back here, so Pope and David take care of it for me. As payment they get to use it whenever they want.”

She slid out of the truck and looked around at the old farm house. “All of this is yours?”

He nodded. “Including our favorite fishing hole,” he said, joining her in front of the truck with their basket and blanket in his arms. “I figured this would be the perfect place to have one final good memory together before we go our separate ways.”

Elena looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t let herself be that vulnerable again. She was safe and secure in a life that she made for herself without Frankie, and she knew the moment those walls came down, all of that would go to shit. So, instead, she settled for a weak smile and some time reminiscing about the “good ole days.”

He held out his arm for her, which she gladly took and walked towards the dock with him. She looked around the large backyard and out towards the lake that was comfortably stretched out across several acres of land. Her childhood immediately came back to her as she watched younger versions of themselves running past them to the dock, jumping into the lake head first into the lake. She would try to swim faster and farther than Frankie so he couldn’t catch her, but she’d always lose. No matter what, he’d managed to catch her and she’d be wrapped up in his arms with no desire to run from him anymore.

**Translations**

  * _¿Qué vas a hacer entonces? - What are you going to do then?_
  * _Por eso te tengo cerca, mi amor. - That’s why I keep you around, my love._
  * _¿Está todo bien con usted? - Is everything okay with you?_
  * _Estoy cansado de las miradas tristes. - I’m tired of the sad looks._
  * _Ve a comer algo antes de que Santiago y Benny se lo coman todo. - Go eat something before Santiago and Benny eat it all._




	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Frankie spend the day together and try to sort out some of the tension between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some smut in this chapter; all oral though, Fem!Receiving.

_“And while the Sun could shine, he knew the Moon could glow. Just as the Stars were wandering into the night, the Sun fell in love like a snowball hurtling down a mountain.”_

“Do you want to eat on the dock?” he asked, “Or would you rather me set up lunch on the shore?”

She smiled at him, her eyes lit up the second they met his. “The dock,” she replied.

The wind lightly blew across her face, gently moving her hair with the breeze. He was so lost in the sight that he forgot why they were there in the first place. She was the most beautiful, perfect person in his world, and he wanted to remember this moment for the rest of his life. She laughed at him, blushing and tucking the hair behind her ear. “Are we going to set up lunch or are you just going to stare at me?” she asked, bringing him out of his stupor. 

Frankie blinked a few times and smiled, embarrassed. “After you, mi Luna,” he said holding his hand out for her to lead the way. 

She took a large step forward and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the dock. He stumbled behind her, falling head over heels for her again. It wasn’t until he was on the first boards of the dock that he regained his footing, but his mind was racing far behind him still trying to catch up with his heart. He spread the blanket out at the end of the dock and placed the basket in the center. “Mamá fixed it for us, so I have no idea what she packed,” he said.

Elena laughed and started digging through, finding their favorite sandwiches wrapped in foil, chips, homemade cookies, and a few cold Cokes tucked in the bottom. “She packed all of our favorites,” she grinned, “like I would have expected anything less.”

He grabbed the sandwich from her and unwrapped it. “She even put extra peanut butter,” he said, taking a bite, “God bless Gloria.”

She laughed again. It was the most heavenly sound he’d ever heard, and he never wanted it to stop. She practically glowed with happiness as they sat there in companionable silence while they ate, and he wanted nothing more than to keep it this way. “So,” he said between bites, “Sol’s?”

Elena’s cheeks instantly burned red as she looked out over the lake to avoid his playful stare. “What about it?” she feigned ignorance.

“You seriously named your restaurant after me?”

She threw a piece of crust at him. “Only because it’s a pain in my ass like you.”

He laughed and dodged the flying object. “Oh, _I’m_ the pain in the ass?” He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “Let’s just revisit that time Pops caught you sneaking out to our treehouse and _I_ took the fall for you. I believe he grounded me for that, and I wasn’t even his kid.”

Elena looked at him with a devilish grin. “You were living with us by then. You were his kid. Fuck,” she continued, “you were his kid since kindergarten.”

They both shared melancholic smiles, remembering Elliott. “I miss him,” Frankie said.

“So do I. Everyday.” She took another bite of her sandwich and looked out over the lake again. “He would be so proud of you, Frankie.”

He huffed. “I doubt it. I’ve done some terrible things.”

She turned to him and held his hand in hers. “You are in the Special Forces. You got your pilot’s license. Every time you go to work, you are putting your life on the line. You knew how much he respected men like you. You knew how much he wanted to be a pilot himself.” She sighed and squeezed his hand tighter. “He’d be more proud of you than you’d ever realize.”

Frankie felt a twinge in his heart. If only she knew about how he lost his license, how he was going to be forced to retire if the investigation went forward. Elliott would be so disappointed in him, and so would she. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes…” he trailed off.

“We both have,” she replied, squeezing his hand before letting it go to return to her lunch. “So,” she said with a grin, “how are we going to fish if we don’t have poles or bait?”

“I got that covered. We stocked up the house with gear for the camp out on Friday,” he replied, “I’ll just replace what we use before then.” She grabbed the bag of Ruffles and began shoveling handfuls into her mouth. “Glad to see you haven’t changed. At all.”

She threw a chip at him. “Fuck you, Francisco.”

He laughed and grabbed the chip to flick back at her. “So, tell me about my namesake.”

Elena rolled her eyes and looked at him. “It’s a high end restaurant in downtown Manhattan. I actually just got more backing from my investors to open up the rooftop. If that does well, I’m opening another restaurant across town.”

Frankie looked at her, impressed. “That’s amazing. What will that one be called?”

“Luna’s.”

He smiled at her. “That’s a beautiful name.”

She grinned. “You’d love Sol’s,” she said, eating another handful of chips. “I have a section dedicated to Army and Air Force Pilots. We call it…” she paused and laughed.

He tried to catch her gaze. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just a joke between myself and my general manager and silent partner, Cal.”

He smiled wider, now curious of why she was embarrassed. “What is it called?”

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but you can’t laugh.”

He held his hand up. “Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a Scout.” He winked at her and grinned. “Fine,” she said through her teeth, “Cal knows I have a friend in the armed forces that I grew up with. So _he_ named it the Morales Memorial.”

He tried to stifle a laugh as he watched her hide her embarrassment. “Morales Memorial?”

“I said you can’t laugh!”

He chuckled. “I’m sorry. I feel honored, but I don’t deserve it.”

Elena glanced at him. “Well, he decorated it and made a newspaper of you the centerpiece.”

He stopped and looked at her with all seriousness. “Really?”

She nodded and fidgeted with a loose string on her shorts. “It’s the one where the New York Times showed the President presenting you with the Medal of Honor, and officially making you a war hero.”

Frankie felt his heart soar as he thought about her sitting down in her restaurant reading the newspaper. It soared even higher when he realized she loved the article enough to keep it as a memento in her restaurant. “Only military personnel are served in that area,” she said. “So, when Santi and the guys come up, they have their own place to sit.”

He smiled at her and held her hand in his. “They never said anything.”

“They’ve never been up,” she said, pensively, “It’s just if they can ever get the time to come up, they have a place to eat.”

He didn’t want to bring it up, but he had to know how Liam felt about her dedicating the restaurant to him. “So,” he hesitantly started, “Liam…”

She huffed. “He has absolutely no idea. He’s been to my restaurant maybe twice in the last four years. Once for the grand opening, and once to drop off the lease paperwork for my apartment when he moved in.”

Suddenly, he felt his chest swell with anger. “I-I’m…” He shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it,” she laughed it off, “I give him as much shit about it as you’d expect.”

He could see the facade that Santiago mentioned. She was putting up this mask that displayed this form of pseudo-happiness that, to a normal person, looked almost genuine. She acted like she was fine with Liam not supporting her, and his heart fell to pieces for her. She had gotten extremely good at repressing her true feelings to spare others the sorrow she really felt. “Well, if I’m ever up that way…” he started, knowing he’d never visit New York. He would never be able to face her and her life she’d made with Liam.

“You’ll always have a spot to eat,” she smiled, reaching for the homemade snickerdoodle cookies her mother packed. 

He set the cookies on the blanket, desperate to change the subject. “Stay here, and I’ll get the fishing poles,” he said, hopping up. 

She watched him walk away and sighed. Everything was perfect. She leaned back on the dock, crossing her leg over her knee as she gazed up at the clear blue sky. The longer she spent with Frankie, the more she was reminded why she fell in love with him in the first place. Which, for her, was a problem. _I love Liam,_ she thought to herself, as she closed her eyes. But when she closed her eyes, she saw Frankie’s smiling face from this morning, as he gazed at her longingly from across the table. Her heart started to race. She refused to open her eyes, for fear of losing the image forever. 

He walked out of the back door with two fishing poles and a tackle box in hand, and he froze at the sight. She was laid back against the dock staring up at the sky. She was magnificent, and he was more in love than ever. Frankie wished that he could walk out to that view every day for the rest of his life, but he knew once today was over, she’d be lost to him forever. _You’ve got it bad, Catfish._ He thought to himself as he forced his feet to shuffle forward. As he grew closer, he felt a tightness in his stomach as he saw the breeze blow through her shirt, causing it to rise up, allowing just a sliver of skin to appear between her tank top and the top of her shorts. _Focus, asshole._ He stopped and watched her relax, almost falling to his knees that were suddenly weak in her presence.

“Enjoying the view there, Morales,” she grinned without opening her eyes.

He cleared his throat and smiled. “These fish aren’t going to catch themselves.”

She sat up, and her tank top resituated itself on her body. The low V-cut settling down on her chest. He tried to avert his eyes, to save themselves both the embarrassment of what she does to him. She put their lunch trash in the basket and folded the blanket. “Let’s get to it,” she said, tossing her phone onto the basket. 

He led her to the small John Boat that was attached to the dock and helped her in. She sat on the bow, legs crossed, as she leaned against the side. Frankie stole a few glances at her before starting the boat and driving them out to a small cove where the best crappie fishing was - or at least used to be. He baited her hook for her, just like he used to and handed her the pole before taking care of his own. They dropped their hooks in the water and sat in silence for a while, each sneaking a glance at the other without getting caught. 

Elena smiled as she watched him focus with such concentration on his hook in the water. She had never seen something more endearing when his eyes would light up the second he thought there was a bite. She observed him for a moment longer, looking at the short curls that peeked out underneath the hat she’d given him so many years ago. She remembered how she used to play with those curls, running her fingers through them until he’d fall asleep. Suddenly, she realized how much he’d grown since she last saw him. His jawline was much more prominent, outlined by the scruff he’d grown. His arms toned and shaped by the tight sleeves on his shirt that continued to be pulled tight across his shoulders. She felt herself bite her bottom lip as she noticed the sweat glistening off his neck, and suddenly inappropriate thoughts flooded her mind. 

“Oh,” he said, turning to look at her, “you got a bite.”

She saw him grinning at her with a mischievous smile and silently cursed her wandering eye as she turned her attention to her fishing pole. Elena started to reel it in. It was a decent sized fish that she managed to get into the boat. She grabbed it and pulled the hook from its mouth before tossing it into the bucket. “That’s one,” she said, “to your zip.”

He laughed at her. “And you even did that distracted.”

Elena felt heat rise in her cheeks as she tossed her hook back into the water. “I wasn’t distracted,” she retorted, a little under her breath.

“Mhm,” he laughed, reeling in his hook to toss it out farther. 

She glared at him out of the corner of her eye and found a way to make him pay for mocking her. She elongated one of her legs as she leaned forward against the side to arch her back. _I’ll show you distracted, dick._ She thought. She knew it was only a matter of time before he’d be eating his words.

He could see what she was doing out of the corner of his eye, and he was doing everything in his power to remain focused on anything but _that_. Frankie was not about to let her win at whatever twisted game they’d suddenly come up with. He snuck a quick glance over his shoulder, but it wasn’t quick enough. All the breath left his body. She was absolutely stunning with the sun shimmering off her skin and her tanktop clinging to her curves. His mouth had gone dry and he tried to swallow the lump that formed in his throat, but miserably failed as he saw her slightly grin. Somehow, she’d won this game. 

He saw her start to reel and bring another fish into the boat. “That’s two to your zip,” she said, tossing that one into the bucket. “Maybe you should focus more on _that_ ,” she indicated his fishing pole that was starting to bend.

Frankie turned surprised and started reeling it in as fast as he could, but he wasn’t fast enough. The hook was empty when he got it out of the water. “Damnit,” he said, baiting his hook.

Elena laughed and tossed her hook back in the water. “You know, mi Sol, if you keep staring at me, I might get the wrong idea.”

“Maybe I want you to get the wrong idea,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head and went back to fishing. “So,” she said, “You know about my restaurant.”

“You know about my Medal of Honor,” he added. She pouted and looked at him. He smiled and shook his head. He would honestly do anything for her, even without her pouting at him. “You know I don’t like to brag about myself.”

Elena sighed. “I want to hear about the life you left me for,” she teased, “was it everything you ever wanted?”

 _No. You weren’t there._ “Well, I got my pilot’s license and received honors because I ran the best drill times in my class. After that, I worked on getting licensed to fly choppers, which is how I wound up on Tom’s team in Special Forces.”

She smiled at him. “That’s really amazing, Frankie.” She wanted to ask him if he ever found someone, but there was something deep in her soul preventing her. She knew it was jealousy, but she refused to admit that to herself. 

He jumped and reeled in his hook. “Haha!” he exclaimed. “Look who’s on the board now.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m still beating you.” She reeled her hook in and grabbed the fish. The second she had the hook out of its mouth, it flipped out of her hand and into her lap, causing her to scream, jump backwards, and fall out of the boat. 

“Elena!” Frankie said, prepared to jump in after her. She came up, laughing and wiping the water out of her eyes. Her hair clinging to her face and neck. He reached his hand out to her, but she smiled and disappeared under the water again. “Chica loca,” he said under his breath, looking around for her.

She popped up behind him and floated on her back. “Jump in, Frankie. The water feels great.”

He laughed. “Yeah right,” he said, “I don’t have a change of clothes.”

“You’ll dry.”

He saw how her shirt clung to her body outlining parts of her torso that he’d always longed to explore. Instead, he set his pole down and watched her, determined not to get into the water. “Not gonna happen.”

She rolled her eyes and swam closer to the boat. “Fine, fun sucker.” She placed her hands on the side and tried lifting herself out of the water. Frankie sat there and continued to watch her struggle with a giant smile on his face. “A little help would be nice.”

“I am not that stupid,” he laughed, “I know the second you have my hand you’ll pull me into the water.”

She gave up trying to get into the boat and swam to be in front of him. He had the perfect view of her glistening, wet body, and he couldn’t help but enjoy it. She was going to be his siren, leading him to a very watery death. He leaned closer to her as she rested her elbows and chin on the side, looking up at him with woeful eyes. “I’m not going to fall for it, my beautiful Luna.”

Elena reached up and placed her hand on the side of his face, bringing her lips so close to his he could almost feel them. “Are you sure about that, mi Sol?”

He could feel himself weakening, but it was too late. She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him overboard with her. She took the opportunity to swim away from him as fast as she could while she waited for him to come up for air. She turned to see him take his hat off and wipe the water from his eyes. Tossing his hat into the boat, he gave her a devilish grin and dove under the water again. Elena screamed and continued to swim farther away from him, but she wasn’t fast enough. She felt a hand on her leg as he pulled her under. They both came up for air, laughing. “What are you, twelve?” he laughed, breathing heavily.

She splashed a little water at him. “Eleven, actually.”

He grabbed her by the waist to pull her closer to him. “What are we going to wear to Santi’s tonight?”

“I guess we’ll have to dry these at the farmhouse,” she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Then we better head back, because they’ll have to line dry. The dryer crapped out years ago.”

“Good thing we have several hours before we have to be at Santi’s,” she said, playing with the curls that clung to the back of his head. 

He felt chills run throughout his body as he let go of her. “Then get your ass back in the boat, so we can start drying off.”

They swam back to the boat, and she lifted herself in with ease. He followed her in and gave her a knowing look. She smiled at him and playfully stuck her tongue out at her. He shook his head and drove them back to the dock. As he was tying off, he saw her shorts get thrown up on the dock. Frankie’s eyes grew wide and refused to turn around. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“What? It’s no different than a swimsuit. Besides, you’ve seen me in my bra before.” 

_Yeah, but I wasn’t a grown man then._ He thought to himself as he laid her shorts out to dry.

The next thing he saw was her tank top next to her shorts. He heard the water splash, figuring she jumped back in. “Since my undergarments make you uncomfortable, I figured I’d hide myself this way.”

He turned around and saw her in water up to her shoulders. The water was clear enough that he could see her in her blue, lacy bra. He cleared his throat and looked at her. “So you’re just going to sit in there until your clothes are dry?”

She splashed more water at him. “Join me.”

Without a second though, he stripped down to his boxes and laid them out next to her clothes on the dock. He dove in and came up for air next to her. “Now, it’s just like old times,” she smiled, swimming closer to him. 

He felt his breathing pick up pace with her in such close proximity. He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. “Elena,” he whispered, “I can’t just let you go again.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, gently running her fingers down his face.

“Liam. I finally have you back in my life, and I can’t let Liam take you away from me.” His voice broke a little as he looked at her, trying to remember every feature of her face. 

She sighed and dropped her arms. “Frankie,” she breathed, “We can’t do this.”

“Why not?” he said, still holding her against him. “I love you. You know this, and you said you’d always love me.”

Her eyes suddenly turned sad. “Liam and I…” she trailed off.

He dropped his hands and watched her swim back to the dock, wrapping the blanket around her and sitting on the edge, letting her legs dangle in the water. He swam over and rested his arms and chin on the dock, looking up at her. “Luna,” he stopped.

“Was there ever anyone else?” she asked him, without looking into his eyes.

“What?”

She sighed and pulled the blanket around her shoulders more. “After you left, was there ever anyone else? Like, I had one boyfriend in college, and then Liam. Did you have anyone?”

He lifted himself out of the lake and sat next to her on the dock. “I had a few girlfriends,” he admitted, “but no, there was never anyone else.”

Elena glanced at him. “But…”

He sighed and turned to face her. “Luna, it’s always been you. Only you. Those girlfriends weren’t my ‘someone else’, because I knew my heart was wherever you were.”

She instantly felt her heart break a little for him as she placed her hand on his cheek. “Mi Sol.”

Frankie looked deep into her green eyes. “It was always you. Since day one,” he said before he kissed her.

For a second she thought about pulling away, but instead, she grabbed his face and held on. She felt his tongue toying with her and she gladly opened up for him to deepen his kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned back, pulling him on top of her. His hands rested on either side of her, careful to not let his hands wander where they weren’t wanted. He moved his lips to her jaw, nipping and kissing along it. He found the sweet spot just below her ear where she let out a soft sigh. “You can touch me, Frankie,” she said running her hands down his back.

Frankie smiled against her skin and let his hands travel to where he always longed to touch. Her skin was soft and warm as he ran his hands up and down her sides. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into him as he moved her up the dock. She threw back the blanket so they had something to lean back on. He kissed down her neck, his facial hair tickling her sensitive skin. She smiled and let out a soft whimper as he placed a kiss between her breasts. He continued his way down her stomach until he was at her panty line. He stopped to look at her for permission. She ran her legs down his and smiled. He hooked his fingers around the lace and slowly slid it down her legs. He gazed at her and grinned, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her. She could see the love and adoration for her in his eyes. He craved her and made her feel desired like she’d never felt before. She blushed as he planted kisses on each of her hip bones before moving to her inner thighs. “Frankie,” she breathed.

He continued closer to her, trying to maintain eye contact as he ran his tongue up and down the center of her. She let out a strained moan as she grabbed a fist full of his hair. He smiled and hummed against her, sending another wave of pleasure throughout her body. He’d never tasted anything so sweet, and if this was the death he imagined earlier, he’d die a happy man. He ran his tongues in slow circles as he threw his arms around her legs so he could use his thumbs to massage her. “Fuck, Frankie,” she cried.

“You taste so good, mi Luna,” he said as he continued his ministrations.

He felt her grind into him as she gasped. Her toes curled when he licked one of his fingers to insert it, before following behind with another finger as he rubbed her walls in long, circular strokes. “Mi Sol,” she whined, “more.”

“Cualquier cosa para ti, mi Luna,” he whispered as he continued to toy with her with his mouth.

He felt her start to shake and clench around his fingers, so he knew she was close. He placed his other hand on her abdomen to keep her in place as she ground her hips against him, crying out his name. With each of her noises and cries, he was almost ready to come from the arousal alone. He continued stroking and licking to help her ride out the euphoric wave that was being sent through her body. When she finished, he moved his way back up her body and finally to her mouth. “That was incredible,” she said out of breath, “I haven’t…”She looked down almost bashfully and then suddenly full of shame. “What have I done?” Her eyes grew wide.

As if the universe read her mind, her phone rang on the basket just up the dock. He grabbed her face to force her to look at him. “Let it go to voicemail, mi Luna,” he begged, “don’t let it ruin this perfect moment.”

She smiled at him and almost forgot what she was upset about. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had any of _that_ ,” she said, wrapping her legs around him and kissing him deeply. She could still taste herself on his tongue.

“You mean…”

She shook her head and kissed him again. Frankie suddenly felt a tad bit of pride knowing he could give her something that Liam had been neglecting to do. His grin widened as he kissed her again with passion. “If that’s all you’d let me do, I think I’d die happy.”

Her phone rang again. “Fuck,” she said, “It’s got to be important if they’re calling again.” He sighed and rolled over on his back, letting her grab her phone. “Shit,” she breathed as she answered it. “Hey, Liam,” she answered, looking at Frankie.

 _Fuck_. He thought.

Elena’s heart started racing, her shame finally coming back to hit her. She just cheated on her boyfriend, whom she loved very much. She was the one thing she hated most, and suddenly the euphoria she was feeling was gone. “Hey, ‘Lena,” he replied, sounding concerned, “were you running? You sound out of breath.”

Her eyes grew wide as she fell back on the dock, covering her face. “Yeah, my phone was on the porch and I was out in the yard. Sorry.”

Frankie started planting kisses on her shoulder, collarbone, above her bra, stomach… Elena tried to get him to stop, but it felt too good. “What did you need?” she asked, almost too abrupt.

Liam sighed into the phone. “I just wanted to apologize about yesterday. I managed to get a ticket for tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll be in around four. That way we can still salvage most of our weekend away,” he said in a flirty voice.

Elena laughed, because Frankie’s whiskers tickled her stomach. “Perfect!” she exclaimed, pushing Frankie off her.

She could tell he was smiling into the phone. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you,” he said.

Her eyes met Frankie’s almost apologetically as she replied, “I love you too, Liam,” and hung up the phone.

He sat up on his elbow and looked down at her. “We’re not going to finish what we started,” he said less as a question and more as a statement.

A few tears fell down her cheeks. “I can’t do this to him, mi Sol. It’s not right,” she replied, more tears falling.

He kissed away her tears and nodded. “I know. I’m sorry I put you in this situation.”

“We should probably head to Santi’s for the bonfire, anyway,” she said leaning up to grab her clothes.

Frankie sat and waited for her to get dressed. He looked out across the lake, cursing her phone - Liam - for taking her away again. In reality, he knew this was all his fault. He was the one who left and lost her forever. “Luna,” he said, “I love you.”

She grabbed his chin so he was looking at her, now fully dressed. “I know, mi Sol.” She kissed him lightly before cleaning up their picnic.

***

Everyone was already at Santi’s house getting the food ready for their little bonfire out in the backyard. Rae greeted them first when they walked in. They instantly separated the second she saw them. “You two look like you fell in a lake,” she smiled.

Frankie shrugged and ran up the stairs to change. Rae looked at Elena and raised her eyebrow. “Oh my god, _what_ happened?”

Elena looked around for anyone else and pulled her into Will’s room that was actually Santi’s office and closed the door behind them. “I did something that I can never come back from.”

***

Sitting down in the guest bedroom, Frankie stared at himself in the mirror. He wanted to be upset with the way things ended, but he couldn’t be. _Fuck Liam._ He thought to himself. There was a knock at the door and Santi entered. “Where’s Elena?” he asked, standing in the doorway.

Frankie shrugged and dug in his suitcase, hoping he would take the hint and leave.

“Why do you smell like a lake?”

He shot a quick glance to Pope and then grabbed a dry shirt out of his suitcase. 

“Is this a conversation we are _all_ having after the girls leave?”

Frankie gave him a quick grin and then resumed changing into dry clothes. Santi smiled wide as he tried to figure out what Frankie wasn’t saying. 

***

“Okay,” Rae said, “but first off you just said you can’t remember the last time Liam did that.”

“And that makes it right?” she said in a hushed rage. “Despite what you think, Liam and I are in a committed relationship.”

Rae huffed and crossed her arms as she sat on Will’s air mattress. “‘Lena, if I have to beg my boyfriend to go down on me, it’s not a committed relationship. That’s selfish.”

She made a disgusted face. “I don’t really want to picture that with Santi. Please never say that again.”

“All I’m saying is, Liam is incredibly selfish if he isn’t worshipping you the way Frankie just did. You just said it was amazing!”

“Rae,” Elena snapped, “what part of ‘I am in a relationship’ don’t you understand? I just cheated on my boyfriend.”

She shrugged. “Clearly you don’t need to be in that one-sided relationship.”

Elena growled and walked out of the room. She saw Frankie and Santiago coming down the stairs at the same time. Santi jumped down the last two steps and wrapped his arm around her. “Hey, ‘ _Lena_ , how was the lake?”

“Fuck off, Santi,” she said between her teeth as she shrugged his arm off her. She walked out into the back with Rae to find a seat around the campfire, and drink a cold beer. 

Frankie followed Santi into the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge, only to be joined by Benny. “Catfish!” he whooped, “nice of you to finally join us! I saved you some dogs. Burnt them to a crisp like you like.”

Santiago leaned over and whispered, “I don’t think he’s hungry right now.”

“Pope!” Frankie hissed.

Benny grinned and slapped him on the shoulder.

“What? You’re going to tell them later anyway,” Santiago replied, offended that he was the one in trouble.

“I don’t want to embarrass her right now. She’s not necessarily thrilled _anything_ happened, because of Liam.”

Benny looked outside and saw her gaze in through the door, suddenly covering her face in shame. “She already knows that I know,” he said. 

“Yeah, well, just keep it this way. I don’t want to embarrass her anymore. Just forget it happened.”

“Just answer me one thing,” Benny said, “and then I’ll leave well enough alone.”

Frankie sighed and rolled his eyes. “What?”

“Was she happy again?”

He reflected back on the brief moment before she answered her phone. There was no feigned happiness, no fake smiles. She almost glowed when she looked at him. She was utterly happy and there was no denying that. Frankie looked at Benny and relayed that happiness through his own smile. “Yes. For just a brief moment, it was just us. She was completely and utterly happy.”

Benny winced. “Brief? Dude.” He shook his head.

Frankie shoved him. “Fuck you, Benny.”

**Translations**

  * _Chica loca. - Crazy girl._
  * _Cualquier cosa para ti. - Anything for you._




	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Frankie need to come to terms with what happened on the dock earlier that day. Frankie asks Elena a difficult question that she doesn’t quite know the answer to. Liam finally arrives on the scene.

_“How he wished to see her move other than the fleeting moments he shared with her at both dawn and dusk.”_

Frankie grabbed a beer out of the fridge and walked out onto the porch. Rae rose from her seat next to Elena and indicated he should sit there. He sighed and obliged, not wanting to cause a scene. He sat down on the bench next to her and she glanced over at him without saying anything. He saw Will and Benny exchange knowing looks. Damn that sibling connection. He sighed and took a long pull off his beer bottle. 

He wished he could read Elena’s mind, because he craved to know what she was thinking about right now. She was fidgeting with the loose string on her shorts and tapping her fingers on her beer bottle as she stared into the fire. Everyone else seemed to be oblivious to the uncomfortable air between the two of them. He could see her brow wrinkle as she chewed on her bottom lip. He honestly didn’t need to read her mind to know what she was thinking. To her, she betrayed Liam. But to Frankie, Liam betrayed her the moment he decided her body wasn’t good enough for him to worship the way Frankie craved to do every day for the rest of his life. Selfish asshole, he thought to himself. He looked at her with such longing, and he didn’t care if everyone noticed. At this point, he wanted them to all know just how in love with her he really was. 

Frankie reached up and grabbed the hand that was messing with her shorts and held it in his. She turned her head to glance at him and gave him a weak smile. She curled up on the bench and leaned into him as he threw his arm around her shoulders. Suddenly they were both taken back to the last campfire they had at the lake before she left for college. They’d both drank way too much that night and made out on the dock. Frankie was the first one to stop when he’d realized what they were doing. Both he and Elena laughed about it and agreed it was the booze, not repressed feelings they had for each other. _If only we had been honest with each other then_ , he thought. 

She sighed and looked up at him. Elena leaned closer, whispering in his ear, “I’m not upset with you. I could never be. I just have a lot to sort out.”

He didn’t bother hiding his smile when he looked down at her. “Take all the time you need, mi Luna.”

They stared into each other’s eyes, both wanting to lean in - close the distance between them. “Kiss!” Benny and Will exclaimed, drawing out the word as much as they possibly could.

Instantly, Elena separated from Frankie and glared at them as she took another swig from her beer. “Nice, assholes,” Tom said, throwing a stick at them. 

“What!” Will exclaimed, “everyone was thinking it!” He looked over to Elena and gave her one of his signature winks.

Frankie shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned forward and stared into the fire. He flipped them both off, which drew a laugh out of them, before glancing at her. She had resumed the same position she was in before he disturbed her. His heart ached to reach out again, to talk to her, but he knew she’d put those walls back up - protecting herself from everyone and everything. He glanced at her before looking across the fire at Pope and Rae who gave him a sympathetic look. 

Rae stood up and walked over to Elena. “I need help in the kitchen,” she said.

As if she was on autopilot, she stood up and followed Rae back into the house. As soon as the door was closed Will leaned forward. “What the fuck happened today?”

Frankie looked over at David and Carla before looking back at Will. “I’m not going to talk about it in front of her _brother_ ,” he said.

Will and Tom both grinned at him. “I’m sure David can handle it.”

David made a disgusted face and shook his head. “I don’t want to hear anything about my sister. As far as I’m concerned, she’s becoming a nun.”

Carla elbowed him in the ribs. “She’s a grown woman.”

He shook his head. “I need another beer,” he said, walking into the kitchen. 

Frankie looked at Carla, almost pleading with her to leave, and she took the hint. He waited until they were all inside before he started telling them everything. They grinned at him when he was done. “Hey,” Will encouraged, “She’s just trying to figure things out right now. You showed her that you can give her way more than that fucker, Liam, could ever dream of.”

Frankie shook his head. “You don’t know them like I do. Whether she will admit it or not, she feels obligated to him. It doesn’t matter how good today felt, she’ll never leave him.”

“Then, why is she so torn up?” Benny asked. “It looks to me like you opened her eyes to a whole lot more than just one of your many skills.”

He sighed and slid back in his seat. “I just need to face it. I made a mistake all those years ago and lost her.”

Will walked over to him and sat down. “Frankie, for all of our sakes, you can’t give up on her. She’s not Elena when she’s around Liam. She seems smaller, meeker than the vivacious and beautiful woman we know. He’s not good for her. You told Pope you ‘died to let her breathe’, well she’s dying with Liam. Your sacrifice was for nothing if you don’t do something about it now.”

“She forgave you the minute you broke her heart,” Santi added.

Frankie looked between all of them and gave them a small grin. “I want to believe you,” he said, “but something’s preventing me from doing that.”

Tom sighed. “So, when does Liam get in?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Alright, men” he added, “we have jobs to do. Pope, you’ll pick up Liam from the airport with David. Benny, Will, Frankie, and I will go to the Bohannon’s and help set up the yard for the engagement party. Frankie, you’ll find Elena while we are there and do whatever it is you do. Pope when you’re getting close, text one of us. We will extract Frankie and get the fuck out.”

The backdoor opened and Elena and Carla walked out. She took her seat between Frankie and Will, and she seemed almost like a new person. She smiled at him and sat closer than before. “You all look so serious,” she laughed.

Will smiled at her and threw an arm around her. “I’m still looking for a date for David’s wedding,” he laughed, winking at Frankie over her shoulder. 

She laughed and leaned into him. “If Liam never makes it down here…”

“I thought he was coming down tomorrow.”

Elena shrugged. “You know Liam,” she replied, “I’ll be shocked if he’s here by the wedding.” She sheepishly looked over to Frankie who was leaning on his knees, staring into the fire.

“In that case,” he said, and leaned closer to her so only she could hear him, “I think you’ll already be spoken for.” He discreetly motioned for Frankie, and saw her look down and grin. “Do us all a favor, and forget that asshole. We miss seeing you when he’s around.”

“It’s not that simple,” she replied, losing her smile a little. 

Will squeezed her shoulder and stood up. “I think I need another beer. Frankie, you good?”

Frankie looked at his bottle that was almost empty. “I’ll take another,” he said. 

“I guess David is taking me home, then?” She asked, smiling at him.

“That’ll probably be my last one until after I get you home safe.” 

She moved closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her. His chest tightened as he felt her warm body press closer into his. God, how he wished things were different. He wondered what caused her mood to change. What did Rae say to her that made her so comfortable and happy? He looked over at Rae, standing behind Santi with her hand resting on his chest, and gave her a small smile. She tipped her bottle towards him before taking a sip. Whatever she did, he was grateful. She gave him just a few more precious moments with his Luna.

***

“It’ll be a full moon this week,” she said looking up as they stood outside the guest house. 

He smiled as he watched her gaze at the moon. Frankie has never seen a more beautiful site. Her gaze dropped and met Frankie’s and she smiled at him when she realized he’d been watching her instead of the moon. “I had fun today, Frankie.”

His heart raced. “Me too. Even though you did try drowning me.”

She chuckled and looked at him through her thick eyelashes as she moved closer. She rested her hand on his chest and could feel his heart beating fast. “We never got to have that movie marathon you promised me,” she said.

“Do you even have _Top Gun_ here?” He smiled, closing the distance between them just a little more.

“It’s in the main house. I’m sure sneaking in is just as easy as sneaking out.”

He looked at her childhood home behind her and smiled, remembering the times they used to sneak out of the house to run through the fields and star gaze together. He’d hold her hand as she led him to their favorite spot on top of the hill before pulling him down next to her. Elliott would always catch them coming back. Frankie peered down at her, wanting to plant a soft kiss on her lips. But he knew that would ruin the perfect moment. He sighed as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip before turning to the truck. “We both know me following you into the guest house is a terrible idea. I don’t want you to feel any more guilt about what happened earlier today.”

Elena froze as she watched him walk back to the truck. She wasn’t mad, but definitely hurt that he’d leave like that. This time, she ran after him and put her hand on the door to prevent it from opening. “Mi Sol,” she said, “Just come in for a cup of coffee at least.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I have to get up early in the morning so we can get over here to help Mamá set up for Thursday.”

“Then just sleep on the couch,” she said, almost too fast. Her eyes grew wide as she realized what she’d invited him to do.

He smiled. “You want me to _stay the night?_ Do you really think Liam would be okay with that?”

Elena frowned and knew that if Liam found out, he would be furious. But at this point, she was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. Liam be damned. He couldn’t control who she had and didn’t have in her life. “Liam doesn’t need to know. Besides, we are grown adults. I think we can keep our hands to ourselves. It’s not like we are going to jump each other’s bones the second we walk in.”

He was glad it was dark outside so she couldn’t see his flushed face as well, because that’s exactly what he imagined happening. “Luna…” he looked down at her pleading face. “Fine. I’ll stay for the movie, but I’m not staying the night.

She smiled and bounced towards the house to sneak in and find his favorite movie. He sat on the porch and waited for her as he ran through several scenarios in his head on how this night could go. His ideal scenario was the two of them wrapped up together, tangled in sheets with sweat glistening their bodies and her taste still on his lips. But he refused to put her in another situation she would regret. 

Within a few minutes, she ran back to where he sat with the movie in her hand. “I knew we still had a copy,” she smiled. 

They walked into the foyer and stood there for a minute, staring at each other. Elena handed him the movie. “I’m going to take a quick shower. Why don’t you get the movie and popcorn ready?”

He grinned. “Cualquier cosa para ti, mi Luna.”

She returned his smile and ran up the stairs to shower. The entire time, her mind raced. She thought of all the different ways this night would end: how she wanted it to end, how it should end, and how it probably would end. Earlier that night, Rae made her realize that this hadn’t happened by accident. She was given a second chance with Frankie to see if this was something they both wanted. Liam complicated everything, and Elena knew that she couldn’t stay with someone who controlled her as much as he did. She let the water run down her body as she reflected on the incident on the dock. Elena was confident that Liam never did that for her, and she’d never felt that way with him as she did with Frankie. She could still feel his hands, his mouth, on her body, and she wanted to feel him again. But Liam held a special place in her heart. He was there for her when she felt completely alone, and she couldn’t imagine repaying that kindness with betrayal.

Elena dried herself and slipped on an old shirt and lounge shorts before heading back downstairs to sit with Frankie. He had the movie ready with a bowl of popcorn. She resumed her usual spot and curled up next to him, to which he didn’t argue as they pressed play on the movie. They didn’t breathe a word the whole movie, but instead enjoyed each other’s company. 

As the credits began to roll, she looked up at him. She could feel the love pouring out of him as he gazed back at her. She smiled and curled closer to him. Frankie cleared his throat and asked a question he’d been dying to know the answer to. “Why him?”

She sat up and looked at Frankie. “What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath and frowned. “On the dock today, after we… well, you know. You said Liam never did that for you. To me that sounds like he’s more concerned with _his_ needs.”

Elena instantly grew embarrassed. Her face flushed and suddenly she was extremely hot. She shrugged. “Our relationship isn’t built on sex,” she replied.

Frankie nodded and tried to find a way to understand, and he could only come up with one explanation. He tried to hide his chuckle as he thought about it. 

“What?”

He looked at her. “If I say it, you’ll get pissed.”

She crossed her arms. “Say it.” 

“I feel like you said that, because the sex isn’t good. He probably comes first every time.”

Elena slugged Frankie in the arm, hard. “You’re right, I am pissed, asshole.”

He laughed a little more, and then grew more serious as he rubbed his shoulder. “I don’t want to be right, mi Luna. You deserve someone who will take care of you the way you should be.”

She looked down at her lap and silently agreed. She never felt like she was a partner in her and Liam’s relationship. He wore the metaphoric pants in and out of the bedroom.

“I can tell you’re unhappy,” he whispered, putting his hand under her chin.

“He’s never betrayed me, Frankie.”

Her soft words cut him deep. She was clinging to Liam because he was at least _loyal_ to her. Even though her argument was weak, it still stung: Frankie’s mistake coming back to bite him. “Why did you ask me to stay?” He asked, suddenly confident she was close to her breaking point.

Elena tensed up at the question, but was steadfast. She was not about to let him win. “I miss you in my life. We were closer than most people, and that connection is something I’ve sincerely missed.”

He shook his head and stood up. “I can’t accept that as an answer. Admit it, you’re just as curious as I am if this would work out.”

“I will _always_ wonder if this would have worked out. But now I’m trying to enjoy the time I have with one of my best friends before he disappears for another ten years.”

“Friends? Friends don’t know the way the other tastes,” he blatantly replied, knowing that would stir something in her.

She huffed and crossed her arms, refusing to admit he was right. 

“Friends don’t make out on the dock feeling each other up. Friends don’t express their long forgotten romantic feelings that they still harbor.”

She’d had enough. “Friends don’t abandon each other.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Luna,” he said, “I’m trying to prove to you that I’m not going anywhere. I came back for you. As much as I knew it was a terrible idea, I let Santi talk me into coming. I had to see you.”

“And what’s going to happen in six months when you’re gone again for God knows how long?”

He dropped his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Not unless I’m called back for my hearing.”

Elena froze and looked at him. “Your hearing?”

Frankie sighed and looked at her. “I wish I could say I made Pops proud, but I fucked up. I’ve made more mistakes than I can count, and that includes losing you.”

“What happened, mi Sol?” She asked, reaching for his hand.

He refused to look at her, because he knew the second she learned about his past sins, all hope of him getting her back would be gone. “I failed a drug test.”

Her heart sank, but she held on to his hand and waited for him to finish. 

“I had cocaine in my system, and they took my license.”

She lightly squeezed his hand. “Cocaine?”

He nodded and looked up at her. He didn’t see judgement or fear in her eyes, but instead patience. “I’m not an addict,” he quickly added. “I just did it a few times recreationally, and they sprung a surprise test on us a few months back. My case is currently under review, but I can’t fly. And, based on my luck, they’ll keep my license.”

Elena sighed and looked at him. She didn’t have a response for him; a way to make it better. She knew getting that license meant to him and how he wanted to make her father proud of him. Her heart broke for him. She knew this should be a red flag and she should run, but something deep down stopped her. She could tell he was telling the truth. He wasn’t an addict. He just made a stupid decision that possibly ruined his career. Elena held onto his hand tighter. “Frankie,” she began.

He pulled his hand from hers and turned away, unable to look at her anymore. “I know what you must think, and you’re right. I am a fuck up.”

She shook her head. “No, Frankie. You just made a mistake.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around him from behind. 

“He would be so disappointed in me.”

Elena rested her head on his back, feeling the tension in his muscles slowly relax under her touch. “Yes,” she agreed, “he would, but do you know what else he’d do? He’d tell you to dust yourself off and figure out a way to get that license back. He loved you like a son, and he would support you regardless.”

Frankie turned around in her arms to face her, giving her a small grin. “You’re amazing,” he softly said.

She blushed. “I didn’t do anything.”

He held her close to him. “I think you should go upstairs. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She looked at her watch. “Frankie, it’s late. At least stay on the couch. There are extra blankets in the hall closet.”

He hesitated for a minute, looking from the stairs to her. He knew that he wouldn’t get any sleep that night. Frankie shook his head at her. “I’ll see you in the morning, mi Luna.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead before walking past her. 

She stood in the living room unsure about most of her feelings. Elena heard the truck start, and she rushed to the window to see him sitting in his truck with his hands running through his hair as his hat sat on the dashboard. He couldn’t bring himself to leave, and she felt her heart race. Part of her wanted to run out to him and the other part wished he’d storm back in. The longer she spent with Frankie, the more she could feel herself slipping away from Liam, from her life in New York. She saw the truck lurch forward and her heart broke just a little as she watched him drive away. Elena walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine as she ran through the same thoughts she was sure Frankie dealt with only moments before. As she walked upstairs, she turned one last time to look at the door, hoping he’d come bursting back through any minute. Much to her disappointment, he never came.

***

She was working outside, helping her mother in the backyard, moving furniture and pulling weeds in the garden, when the guys showed up. Pope had volunteered to ride with David to pick up Liam from the airport while the rest of them helped Antonio with some yard work/heavy lifting that Gloria had assigned them. She peered over her shoulder at Will, who had tossed a clump of dirt at her as he walked up. “Watch yourself, Miller,” she laughed, “I’m armed with garden shears.”

He smiled and raised an eyebrow at her. “You don’t scare me, little sister.”

She approached him and wrapped a sweaty arm around his waist. “I hope you brought more muscle with you than this. Antonio is going to need all the help he can get.”

He rolled his eyes and flexed his arm. “You mean this? I don’t think you have to worry about it.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself there, Ironhead,” Frankie laughed behind him. 

Elena grinned at Frankie, noticing him taking in the sight of her. She was in a tight tank top and short shorts. She’d dressed this way on purpose, trying to provide herself with a little entertainment while she worked. And, just as expected it worked. He almost tripped over some cobblestones at the sight of her. “Oh, and you’re much better.”

“I just might be,” his mouth went instantly dry. 

She shook her head and walked back to the garden. “There’s not enough room in the garden for my plants and your egos.”

Will threw an arm around Frankie and led him to the barn with the rest of the guys. “We’ll be wanting that iced tea soon, ‘Lena.”

She flipped them off and laughed as she watched them leave. Gloria joined her in the garden and smiled. “It’s nice to see Frankie happy again,” she said.

“Mama,” she said, “don’t start. Liam will be here in a couple of hours.”

Gloria let out a disgruntled sigh and shook her head. “I’ll never understand, mija.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

She held her hands up in defeat. “Alright, if you don’t want me to say anything, I won’t. It’s your life. Do as you please.”

“Thank you,” she said in a sarcastic tone. 

Carla walked out to the garden. “Gloria,” she said, “my mother is on the phone and wants to talk to you.”

She followed her back into the house while Elena continued working in peace in the backyard. It only took an hour more before she got the garden looking perfect. She wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of her arm and walked inside to grab a drink. There was a tray of iced tea on the counter, and so she picked it up to take to the guys. 

She could hear them arguing the closer she got to the barn. Benny was the one talking at Frankie, and so she clung to the side, eavesdropping. “Frankie, seriously, go out there and _help_ her in the garden. Pope is trying to stall Liam as much as possible. We can only buy you so much time.”

“It’s over,” he said, tossing something on the ground, “Liam’s here. He’s in Texas. The minute he gets here she will run into his arms and it’ll all be over.”

She heard Tom clear his throat. “We’ve been saying for days now. She is not happy with Liam. You know it too. We can see it on her face every time you’re around that she’s starting to see it too. Why do you think she was so upset about yesterday?”

_They all think I’m miserable?_ She thought to herself. Elena was suddenly annoyed with them.

“Mijo,” Antonio added, “If I have to watch her brother walk her down the aisle and give her away to Liam, I will personally stand up and object. I can’t watch her end up with that cabrón. I won’t do that to Elliott’s memory.”

She felt a twinge in her chest at Antonio’s sudden outburst. She thought, if anyone, he’d support her; even out of respect that he was her step-father.

“I’ve done everything I could,” Frankie said, moving something else, “I’ve told her that I’ve loved her since the beginning and that there is no one else for me.”

“Okay, but you were the dumbass that _came home_ last night,” Benny said.

“Exactly,” Will added, “she gave you an open invitation to stay the night, Catfish. How you turned _that_ down is beyond me.”

“Because I knew she would have hated herself after it. Just like she did after the dock,” he sighed.

“Jesus Christ,” Will mumbled, “She hated herself because she enjoyed it.”

Elena gripped the tray of drinks tighter and walked in, clearing her throat. They all snapped to attention, and Frankie didn’t meet her gaze. He prayed that she didn’t hear any of that as she walked over to them with their drinks. Elena smiled at them and tried to act casual. “Don’t worry, Will, I spit in yours,” she weakly smiled.

“Ah, yes. The secret ingredient. Extra love,” he laughed.

She winked at him and passed out the drinks. “Frankie,” she said, “I need help moving the patio furniture. Would you mind?”

He took a giant swig from his glass. “Of course not. I’ll be right there.”

She smiled at him and turned to leave the barn. Will nudged him. “She heard every damn word,” he said, “otherwise she would have asked Benny. He’s her bitch when it comes to needing help.”

“She feeds me,” Benny laughed.

Frankie shook his head and finished his tea. He ran after her and saw her on the patio, trying to move a picnic table. He rushed over and grabbed the other side. “Thanks,” she said, looking at him.

He smiled at her. “How much did you hear?” he asked, sheepishly.

She dusted her hands off on her shorts and looked up at him. “I walked up at about the time Benny told you to man up.”

His face instantly grew red as he looked over at her. “I’m…”

She started pulling tables out of the basement to line the patio with for the food. “I wish things were that simple,” she said in reference to what she heard, “but they’re not. The more time we spend together, the more I never want it to end. But the second you’re gone I am reminded of the life I built for myself in New York City. I built it. Me. All by myself. It’s the life I’ve always wanted, and the second you walk back in I realize that something’s missing. I wish there was a way for me to clear my head and think straight; figure out what exactly it is that I want in life, because ever since you came back my world has been turned on its head.”

He grabbed her hand. “Let’s go somewhere,” he said.

“Where?”

“Just trust me.” He smiled at her as he pulled her away from the house. 

He led her to the fence and hopped over, before helping her over. They walked along the fence line for several yards before reaching the base of a hill that they began to climb. She smiled as she realized they were going to their favorite spot to sneak to at night. They would lay on the ground and look up at the stars. Frankie would tell her all about how one day he would become a pilot and how he’d soar so high he’d touch the moon. She’d make him promise that no matter where they wound up, they’d still look up at the moon every night so they could still be together. Sometimes they’d fall asleep on the hillside, only to wake up when the sun started to peak over the horizon, rushing them back to the house before the rest of the family woke up. 

They ran up the side of the hill, finding it much harder than when they were kids, until they reached their spot. Frankie pulled her down next to him and they stretched out on the grass. She laid on her back and he balanced himself on his forearm as he gazed down at her. “Luna,” he said, after he managed to catch his breath, “I can’t make you make a decision or leave everything you worked so hard for. All I can do is tell you how I wish everyday that I’d wake up next to you, because _everyday_ I wake up I know there’s something missing. You are what’s missing because I fucked up all those years ago. I lost precious time with you instead of being the man I should have been.”

He moved a piece of stray hair off her face and lightly ran his fingers down her cheek and then neck, until his hand rested on her side. He stared down at her, waiting for her to say something, but instead she rested her hand on his cheek and smiled at him. “I can’t just leave all of that behind,” she said, her voice cracking, “I have my restaurant, plans for my future that are all tied to New York.”

He rolled back on his back and sighed. “I remember when we were kids and we thought we’d never change. We’d always be together, even if it was by staring at the moon. We felt invincible, thinking it would always be like that - never ending.”

Elena moved closer to him and looked up at the clouds. “We had no idea we’d end up going separate ways that would lead to this. Now all that’s left are scars and torn up photographs.”

Frankie laid there with his eyes closed and his arm around Elena as he pictured them as teenagers in the same spot, sharing their dreams for the future; neither of them ever apart in their fantasies. If only he could go back and stop himself. He rolled back over to look down at her. “‘Lena, if you can tell him you are honestly, _truly_ happy with Liam and the life you’ve made in New York - I mean really make me believe you - I will drop it. I’ll go back to my life and let you live yours.”

“I don’t want you out of my life, mi Sol,” she pleaded, resting her hand on his cheek again.

He shook his head. “I can’t be in your life the way you’d want me to, unless it’s the same way as me. So, please, just answer the question. Are you utterly happy with your life?”

She looked into his eyes and suddenly lost all train of thought. She couldn’t think of an answer to give him. The natural response should have been yes, but in that moment she was unsure. She didn’t know if she was happy, confused, or just miserable. “I-I don’t know, Frankie.”

Frankie felt his heart stop as he closed the distance just a little between them. “That’s not an answer. It should be an easy question for you if you’re happy.”

She shrugged. “Well, your sudden appearance in my life has seemed to complicate things.” Her hand involuntarily moved to his shirt, pulling him even closer.

Their lips were so close they could almost feel each other. Just as Frankie closed the remaining gap between them and he tasted her sweet lips, he heard, “Fish!” from down the hills.

He sighed and looked up. He saw Benny running up the hill towards them. “Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. “What do you want, _Benny_?”

“We gotta go,” he said.

Frankie took a deep breath and looked down at Elena. “Liam’s here,” he added.

Elena felt her heart stop. Suddenly terror rushed through her veins as she tried to find a way to explain the whole situation. She knew it was unavoidable: the second she and Liam were alone later tonight, they’d have the biggest fight of their relationship.

They both stood and dusted the grass off their clothes as they quickly followed Benny back to the house. They’d made it into the backyard just in time for David’s car to pull up. Elena’s heart raced faster with each step she heard coming through the house. Her stomach dropped as she heard the screen door open and slam shut behind him. She looked up at the deck and saw Liam standing there, smiling down at her. It was almost like he hadn’t seen Frankie at all. She and Frankie exchanged worried glances as Liam made his way down the stairs, dressed in his usual business casual attire that he always adorned for his plane rides. He used to tell her, “you never know when you’ll meet a future associate.” Whereas, she was always content with her leggings and t-shirts when she traveled alone. 

Liam slowly approached her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Frankie suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. The pressure was building to a point that he wasn’t sure he was able to control it, but he managed to keep it under wraps for her. He almost lost it when he watched Liam’s hands travel down her body and cup her, pulling her closer to him as he kissed her deeply. Benny instinctively wrapped his arm around Frankie’s shoulder, just to play it off as brotherly. But Frankie knew he was doing it to keep him from exploding. Finally, when he came up for air, Liam looked down at Elena with a wide smile on his face. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said, “the apartment hasn’t felt the same since you got on that damn plane.”

She looked up at him and feigned a smile. “It’s about damn time you got here,” she said, “I was beginning to wonder if Will was going to be my date to the wedding.”

Liam shot a glance over at Will, who was slowly walking up from the barn. “I would hope he’d know to keep his hands _off_ you.”

The way Liam said that made Frankie’s blood boil. It was almost possessive, and he felt like it was a challenge. He wanted to walk straight over to Liam and rip her away from him, free her from his dominating presence. Will glared at him and grinned. “You know I’d be respectful enough to wait until after she was tired of your sorry ass,” he said with a laugh, trying to play off his blatant insult as a joke.

He pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm tight around her shoulders. Frankie was growing more tense as he could see the discomfort in her eyes. Liam was holding her just a little too tight. Frankie was balling and unballing his fists to help himself remain cool, and his method was slowly failing him. Elena tried to push away from Liam a little bit, but he firmly held her in place. 

“Where’s _Redfly_ at?” Liam snidely asked. “It’s been a while since the whole gang got together.”

“ _Tom_ ,” Benny replied, correcting him, “is in the barn helping Antonio. But I’m sure you’ve heard us mention our other brother, Frankie here.”

Finally the ice was broken. Benny, the bastard, decided to do it for everyone. Liam tensed up, and held Elena closer even more so; if that was even possible. Frankie took a deep breath and bore a hole through Liam’s skull with his gaze. “Liam,” he coldly said, extending his hand.

Liam glanced at the gesture and ignored it. “Frankie.”

He turned Elena away and walked with her towards the guest house where David was dropping off Liam’s things. She tried to look back at the guys, but he held her close to him so she couldn’t. Frankie let out an aggravated sigh as he stared between Benny and Will. He waited for Santi and Tom to join them before he let loose. “If he doesn’t keep his hands off her,” he growled, “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

**Translations**

  * _Cualquier cosa para ti. - Anything for you._




	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie can’t handle the way Liam treats Elena and finally a lifetime of pent up aggression boils over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is mild violence and abusive behavior in this chapter.

_“‘Go,’ she whispered to him one of those nights, her voice as sweet and sorrowful as the last light of morning.”_

Pope smiled at Frankie and glanced at the rest of the guys. “He holds her like he’s afraid someone else with touch her,” Frankie said, shaking, “The fucking asshole was basically crushing her!”

“That’s usual,” Pope said.

“Yeah, especially if the rest of us are around. It’s like he’s afraid we’re going to steal her away from him. She has no freedom down here when he’s here,” Tom added.

Frankie shook his head and glared at Pope. “We need to get out of here before I do something stupid.”

The guys followed Frankie back to the truck and Pope’s car. He stopped when he heard shouting coming from the guest house and he turned to look at Santi and the guys. Santi grew worried and reached for Frankie’s shoulder, wanting to divert him away from the argument. “I think it’s best we let them hash this out.”

He heard something shatter in the house and froze in his spot. His heart started racing and he could feel his anger swelling inside him. “I can’t do this,” he said, storming towards the guest house.

“Shit,” Santi said as the rest ran after him.

***

She stood in the kitchen with her arms folded, glaring at Liam. The silence hung in the air between them for several minutes.“What the fuck was _that_?” She growled.

Liam turned on her and faced her, anger flooding out of his eyes. “You two looked awfully comfortable with each other.”

“Oh Jesus,” she said, “seriously?”

“I’m just saying, you seemed content to be in his presence after so long.”

She felt heat rising to her face in anger. “He’s my friend, Liam!”

“I’m sure, if he could, he would have _gladly_ taken you back here and changed your mind. And I am almost certain you would have let him.”

Her voice was raised. “You think that little of me? Are you fucking kidding me, right now? Liam, when have I ever given you a reason to believe something like that?”

“Every moment of our lives, where that asshole was involved.”

“If you knew this about me, then why are we even together?” She felt tears rolling down her cheeks.

He felt his blood beginning to boil. “Because I love you that much,” he said as calmly as possible, “but it’s hard when I know you don’t feel the same for me.”

She glared at him. “Don’t you _dare_ play the victim right now. I have done nothing wrong. You’re trying to manipulate me into feeling like the villain right now, and it’s not going to happen.”

“Who put these ideas in your head? Will? Frankie?”

Elena rolled her eyes and stormed past him, heading for the door. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.”

“You’re not leaving,” he said, grabbing her arm in a tight, painful grasp.

She looked down at his hand. “Liam, you’re hurting me.”

“Are you running to him?” He seethed, tightening his grip on her arm.

She winced and tried to pull away. “Liam…” her voice was a small whimper.

He let go of her. “How often were you together before I got here?”

She turned to leave. “I’m not answering any more questions.”

Elena felt a rush of wind fly past her arm as a whiskey glass shattered against the front door. She froze out of fear and slowly turned to look at him. Tears started to spill over as she glanced at the man she thought she loved. “Wh-what?”

Liam tried to run to her and comfort her, realizing his mistake. “‘Lena, I’m so sorry.”

She moved out of his grasp and slid down against the wall, crying. “Don’t,” she screamed.

The front door flew open and Frankie was standing there, out of breath. He looked at her on the floor, and instantly became enraged. He saw broken glass on the ground in front of him, realizing the shattering noise he heard was the whiskey glass he drank out of the night before. Liam puffed his chest out and moved between Elena and Frankie. “This doesn’t concern you,” he said.

“Frankie,” Santi called behind him. 

He ignored him and responded to Liam.“From what I could hear, it sounds like it does,” he said, glaring at Liam.

Liam stepped forward. “We were just about to reach an agreement.”

Frankie looked at the glass on the floor again before looking back up at Liam. “It sounds like you were about to get physical.”

He stepped forward, but Will grabbed his shoulder to stop him. “Not in front of her, brother,” he whispered.

“She dropped a glass…”

Frankie knelt down next to her. “Luna,” he whispered, “what do you want me to do?”

She held her wrist and looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Go,” she whispered in reply.

He looked at her astonished. “Luna…”

“Please, go.”

He kissed her forehead, and heard Liam move forward. “Easy there,” Will said, stepping forward. “You really want to go after him with his brothers at his back?”

Liam glared at him, and listened intently to what Frankie was saying to his Luna. “Llámame si necesitas ayuda. Te amo mucho, mi Luna.”

She smiled at him and patted his shoulder. Frankie knew that meant she wasn’t going to call. He, then, immediately turned to Liam. “If I see you’ve laid your fucking hands on her, I will kill you where you stand. Even a single bump,” he almost growled, his voice dropping an octave lower. 

Frankie followed Will and Santiago out of the cabin to the truck. Liam watched him go and closed the door. “‘Lena,” he sat down, “I’m so sorry. I just lost my temper. I didn’t mean to throw the glass near you.”

She didn’t look up at him. “I can’t stay with someone who is going to turn violent with every disagreement we have.”

Elena saw him shift uncomfortably. “I won’t, Elena. It’ll never happen again.”

“If it does,” she said, “We are done.” She glared at him. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, gently placing a hand on her cheek. 

She turned to look at him with empty eyes. “And, another thing,” she added, “I’m not cutting Frankie out of my life.”

Liam tensed but remained calm. 

“He’s one of my best friends, and if you want me to cut him out of my life, you’re asking me to cut out a huge part of myself.”

“Elena,” he sighed, “I can’t accept that. It’s always about more than friendship with Frankie. He’s always been so fucking competitive with me, ever since we were kids. He’d never want me close to you, because he wanted you all to himself. He would do anything to keep you away from me, and I know that’s what he’s trying to do now.”

She looked at the wall across from her and nodded slowly. Elena knew what he was doing, trying to make Frankie the villain. She knew that things between the two of them had always been tense, and some of what he was saying _might_ have been true. However, she had a hard time believing Frankie had a malicious bone in his body enough to manipulate her like that.

He lightly touched her shoulder, and it brought her out of her thoughts. “What?” she calmly asked.

“You seem far away,” he said.

She took a deep breath and gazed at him. “I just don’t know where we go from here,” she said, motioning to the glass on the ground. “I know you said it won’t happen again, but this changes things between us.”

He turned to face her. “What do you want me to do?” he asked, “I’ll do anything.”

Elena finally looked at him deep in his eyes. “I love you, Liam,” she replied, holding his face, “but I just need a second to myself. Go get unpacked and comfortable.”

She lightly kissed him before walking into the kitchen to grab a broom to sweep up the mess. Liam watched her for a second, before glancing at the door. He took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to unpack his things. 

***

Frankie stormed into the diner before Pope even had the car in park. The guys and Rae tagged along for dinner. He sat against the window, looking out and destroying the napkin that was placed in front of him. Santi exchanged pleased glances, that had a hint of fear behind them, with everyone. “So,” he said, to break the silence, “Frankie…”

Frankie’s eyes shot over to him. “I shouldn’t have left her in that house.”

Will looked at Santiago, worried. “If I would have let you stay, you would have beat him to a pulp.”

“So? You guys said you want me to get rid of him,” he growled.

Tom laughed and leaned forward, looking at a very angry Frankie. “Yes, but if you would have done that in front of Elena, she would have sided with Liam. It would have made things worse for you.”

Frankie knew Tom was right, but that didn’t make him feel any better. The image of her curled up on the floor in fear burned away in his memory. He knew Liam was lying. She didn’t just drop a glass. It had been thrown. “Hijo de puta,” Frankie murmured as he sipped on his water the waitress brought.

Rae leaned forward and sighed. “Frankie,” she said, “tomorrow, I’m taking both of them out to lunch. So, they won’t be alone much. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Both?” Frankie asked, annoyed.

“We told you,” Benny added, “he doesn’t give her any freedom down here. She’s miserable, whether she wants to admit it or not.”

His hands balled themselves into fists. “Why did I have to fall for the most stubborn woman on the planet?”

Santiago smiled at Rae. His plan was working, even though it brought him pain to watch his best friend go through such turmoil. Will leaned against him, bumping his shoulder with his own. “That’s your favorite part about her,” he laughed.

Frankie rolled his eyes. “Not right now,” he huffed.

“We all know with you back in her life, she’ll see the light,” Rae said, “sooner or later.”

He looked down the table at her. Next to Elena, she was the closest female friend he’d had. He considered her a sister. On the rare occasion he couldn’t talk to Elena about something, he confided in her. He gave her a weak smile. She knew him and Elena better than most, which was how he knew that what she said was full of shit. Elena was too stubborn to “come around.”

He sat in silence for most of their meal, while the others participated in lively conversations. His mind kept wandering back to his Luna and the look of fear that was spread across her face. She was sitting on the floor clutching herself, her wrist. He froze. _Why would she be holding her wrist?_ He pondered. His head immediately turned to Rae. His sudden movement caught her attention and she looked over at him. “Tomorrow,” he began, everyone turned to look at him, “I want you to look at her left wrist.”

She gave him a semi-confused expression. “Am I looking for anything?”

Frankie sighed, afraid to say his thoughts out loud. “Has Liam ever put his hands on her?” he asked the group.

Will and Benny looked at each other and shrugged. “Not that we are aware of. Why?” Benny replied.

His breathing became shaky, uneven. “She was clutching her wrist as she sat on the ground. I want to know why. Because if he did it, I’m going to follow through on that promise.”

He saw everyone tense up at the thought. Santiago turned to Rae. “Can you find out what happened?”

She shrugged. “I can try.”

Will turned to Frankie. “I’ll fucking bury his body if he did it.”

Frankie smiled at Will, genuinely. “Should I be worried that you care _this much_?”

Tom stepped in to help Will. “In his defense, we all care this much. She’s Santi’s sister, which practically makes her ours.”

Will sheepishly looked at Frankie. “I’m not going to lie to you, brother. I did have a small crush on her for the last few years. I mean, can you blame me? But as soon as I realized who she was to you, those feelings evaporated. Like almost immediately.”

He grinned and shook his head. “No,” he replied, “I can’t blame you.”

“You would have loved watching him and Liam go round and round during one of their many visits,” Benny laughed.

“I would flirt with her so much just to drive him insane, but it would be subtle enough that he didn’t realize I was doing it on purpose.”

“How often did you see them?” Frankie asked, a little jealous of his friends now that he realized what he’d missed.

“Every time we got leave. Ben and I would stop and see the family for a few days and then come down here for the last few.”

Tom smiled at the memories. “They’d stop to pick me up, and then we’d all have a huge campout that weekend.”

“I’d send her a text when we’d be off on leave,” Santiago added, “and she would book her and Liam tickets. Sometimes he’d come, sometimes he’d stay home.”

Rae sighed and added in the saddest bit of those trips. “In the beginning when they would first come down, she would ask about you,” she said at Frankie. 

He felt his chest tighten. 

Santiago nodded. “She’d ask me where you were and if life was good to you. Those questions stopped though, after Liam said something to her about it.”

“Fuck Liam,” he said, staring directly at Santi.

He smiled at Frankie. “It’s about damn time you joined my side!” he laughed.

“I was always on your side,” he grinned, “I just was being nice for her sake. Now?” He huffed. “The second she saw him, she was a totally different person. There was no beautiful glow or life about her. No one is going to treat mi Luna like that and get away with it.”

***

The next morning, Elena woke up entangled in Liam’s arms. They’d come to an understanding late last night after they both had showered. He had apologized for his irrational behavior, and given their history, she had forgiven him. She looked at her arm that was still sore. There were dark bruises where he’d grabbed her, but she didn’t say anything to him about them. _It was an accident._ She thought to herself. She’d put some ice on it to help, and it did. A little. Thankfully her dress for the engagement party had long, lace sleeves. Otherwise, if Frankie saw her arm, he’d probably kill Liam then. 

Liam stirred next to her and peppered a few kisses on the back of her neck. “Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured into her hair.

The action sent shivers down her spine and she smiled, turning around to face him. “Good morning,” she said, lightly kissing him. “In a better mood?”

“Always, if that means waking up next to you.”

She smiled again. “We are meeting Rae for an early lunch today before the engagement party.”

He groaned and held her to him. “Haven’t the two of you hung out enough over the last three days? Can’t we just sleep in?”

Elena giggled. “I promised her we would.”

He sighed. “Well that certainly puts a damper on my plans that I had for us today.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, lightly running her nails up and down his back. “Oh? And what were those?”

“A surprise,” he grinned and kissed her, “I guess we can do them tomorrow or Sunday.”

“You know that I love surprises,” she smiled into his kiss. 

He rolled her over so he hovered over her, kissing her deeper. “I guess I better shower then,” he said, before kissing her again.

She stretched out in the bed once he rolled out and walked into the bathroom. She laid there, looking up at the ceiling, and prayed. Prayed that everything would go back to normal, that Liam would let it all go. She heard the shower start, and so she decided now was a good time to make the bed and get dressed. She reached into the top drawer of the dresser to grab some clothes for Liam too. As she unfolded his pants, she saw a small, velvet, black box fall out and bounce closer to the bed. She grabbed it and already knew what it was. She didn’t need to open it, but she did anyway. In the box was a beautiful, oval diamond in the center of a silver band. It was the largest diamond she’d ever seen. She felt her heart race and her stomach drop the longer she stared at the ring. She wasn’t sure if it was pure excitement that she felt. A month ago, had he asked, she would have said yes in a heartbeat. Now, after everything, she was so uncertain about her future.

She could hear Frankie’s voice playing in her head: 

> _“Luna, I can’t make you make a decision or leave everything you worked so hard for. All I can do is tell you how I wish everyday that I’d wake up next to you, because everyday I wake up I know there’s something missing. You are what’s missing because I fucked up all those years ago. I lost precious time with you instead of being the man I should have been.”_

She felt a few tears stream down her cheeks. 

> _“Are you utterly happy with your life? It should be an easy question for you if you’re happy.”_

Elena was brought out of her haze when she heard the shower turn off. She quickly folded Liam’s pants and placed them in the drawer with the black box. She wiped the tears off her face and began changing. He walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, not noticing their wetness as he grabbed clothes to wear for the day. “Where is Rae taking us?” he asked, throwing his shirt on.

She had walked into the bathroom to do her makeup and brush her teeth. “I think just the usual.”

“The diner?” he laughed from the bedroom.

“Yeah,” she stepped out with a toothbrush in her mouth. “Is that okay?”

“It’s perfect,” he smiled, kissing her forehead.

***

Elena and Liam pulled into the parking lot and walked into the diner, instantly seeing Rae in their usual booth. They walked over and hugged her before taking a seat. “Santi is going to meet us,” she smiled, “I told him it could be a double date.”

Liam looked less than thrilled as he allowed Elena to slide into the booth. “Perfect,” he mumbled.

Right on cue, Santiago walked into the diner and took his place next to Rae, throwing his arm lovingly around her. “Hey, Liam,” he smiled.

“Glad to see you could join us,” he lied.

“I wouldn’t miss hanging out with you guys for anything.” Santi looked over at Elena who tried to give him a convincing smile. “So, how’s the Big Apple treating you?” he said, sipping on the coffee the waitress brought in.

Liam smiled, as if this was something he really wanted to talk about, “Great,” he said, “we’re buying out another small publisher, and they’ve put me on finalizing all the details. It’s been so hectic at work, but it’s going to work out for us in the long run.” He smiled at Elena and grabbed her hand.

“Oh really?” Santiago looked at Elena and lifted his glass to her.

“Then she won’t have to work so hard at that restaurant from hers, and she can just relax instead,” he added, kissing her knuckles.

“I love my restaurant,” she retorted.

He seemed to ignore her as he answered his phone. “Hello? Yes. Wait, the papers were supposed to be faxed over this morning. Hold on.” He placed his hand over the phone. “I’ve got to take this.” He rose and walked out of the diner to continue his conversation.

Elena sighed and rolled her eyes. “He is _always_ working,” she said softly.

Santiago moved around and threw his arm over her shoulders. “How was he after last night?”

“Fine,” she said abruptly.

“‘Lena…”

“Everything is fine now, Santi.”

“Then why are you more agitated than normal?”

She looked between Santi and Rae before glancing down at her fidgeting hands. “I found a small, black box packed among Liam’s things,” she said.

“So? That could mean anything.”

“You idiot,” Rae laughed, “he bought a ring and brought it down here to ask her to marry him.”

Santi froze and stared at Elena. “Wait, seriously?” She nodded and he ran his hand down his face. “Fuck. What about Frankie?”

“Santi, this doesn’t concern him,” she replied.

“The fuck it doesn’t,” he added, “I’m sorry, ‘Lena, but you can’t marry Liam. I am begging you.”

She knitted her eyebrows together. “He hasn’t even asked me yet!” She exclaimed in a hushed tone.

“Let me see your arm,” he demanded.

“Wh-what?”

Santiago held out his hand for her to set her arm in. “Your left wrist. Let me see it.”

“Why?”

He was growing more agitated with her. “Why won’t you just show me your arm?”

She clutched it to her body so he couldn’t see. “Because it doesn’t concern you either.”

“If he hurt you, it _does_ concern me. Frankie told us to look at your arm. Now, let me see it, or I swear I will make something up and tell Frankie to kick his ass anyway.” 

Elena looked at him with fear and worry in her eyes. “You cannot tell Frankie,” she begged, “Please. I’m fine, it was an accident.”

“‘Lena,” he replied.

Reluctantly, she set her arm in his grasp and he turned it over. She winced when his hands ran over the bruises that were clear signs of fingers that had dug into her arm. “‘Lena,” his voice broke, “No puedes quedarte con el.”

She sighed and looked at him. “I told him that if he does this again, we’re done.”

Santiago looked at Rae for help, as he showed her the bruises. “Voy a matar a ese hijo de puta. Why are you giving him a second chance?”

Rae looked at Elena in disbelief. “You can’t seriously stay with him after this,” she said, examining her arm.

Elena looked out the large windows surrounding the diner to find Liam. He was still standing outside on the sidewalk aggressively talking on the phone. “We have an understanding,” she begged, “so, please, forget this happened. And I swear to _God_ , if you tell Frankie, I will never talk to either of you again.”

Santiago sighed and moved back to his side with Rae. “Was he trying to hit you with that glass, last night?” She shook her head. He looked away before standing up. “I have to go,” he said, “otherwise I will kill him when he walks back in here.”

“Santi,” she begged, “Please. I forgave him, so you should too.”

He shook his head. “No, ‘Lena, it’s not that simple. I wish you could see it too, but the bad thing is, you won’t. Or at least not until he does something horrible.”

Santiago stormed out of the diner and blew past Liam without turning back to take a last glance. Rae sighed and crossed her arms as she stared at Elena. “You seriously can’t see the problem with this?”

“I did,” she replied, “last night, but we talked about it and…”

Liam joined them at the table and looked around for Santi. “Where’d he run off to?”

“David called,” Elena replied, “something about a final fitting for Saturday.”

He tossed his arm around her shoulder. “We’ll see him tonight, at least,” he said, taking a long drink from his lukewarm coffee.

Rae glared at Elena as she leaned into him and tried to ignore the dirty looks.

***

She finished getting ready for the party while Liam waited downstairs for her. Slowly, she descended and met him in the foyer. “You look absolutely beautiful,” he said, kissing her cheek as he wrapped her arm around his.

“Thank you, dear,” she smiled, “Cal picked out all my dresses for the weekend. Except for the bridesmaid dress.”

“I guess I should be a little nicer to him,” he laughed.

“Always, my love.”

They walked out of the door and to the backyard of her parents’ house. The party was already in full swing with the entire wedding party, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and neighbors filling the property. It was a proper Texan celebration. She looked for her friends, and found them standing in the middle of the yard with David and Carla. The only one that was missing was Frankie. He was never one for parties, and she found that endearing about him. He much preferred the intimacy of their small group around a campfire as opposed to this. She deflated a little, but walked over to the group anyway.

He was standing on the deck with a cold beer in his hand as he looked out over the backyard. He saw her walk in through the gate and instantly his jaw dropped. He’d never seen anything more beautiful in all of his life than her. She was in a short, blue dress with long, lace sleeves. It was a deep V-neck in the front, and when she turned, he saw the back was cut out. It clung to her body perfectly. At that moment, he’d never been so envious of a dress. Her dark curls cascaded down her shoulder and back, and he wanted nothing more than to run his hands through them. The more he looked, the more in love with her he grew as his eyes traveled down her body to take in her long legs that ended in a pair of sophisticated, blue heels.

Frankie felt a hand slap him on the shoulder and put breath back into his body. “Se ve hermosa esta noche,” Antonio said.

He laughed nervously. “She took my breath away,” he replied. Frankie wanted to turn to look at Antonio, but he didn’t want to tear his eyes away from her. He preferred to just soak in as much of her beauty as he could.

“Mijo,” he sighed, but he paused. He wasn’t sure what else he could say that hadn’t already been said.

“I know,” Frankie added, “and I love her so much.”

“Dile que, mijo,” Antonio responded before joining the rest of the party.

Frankie started to make his way down to the party when he saw his chance. Liam had walked off with Gloria to say hi to some family, and Elena made her way over to the drinks. Rae saw Frankie finally make his way over there, and signaled to the rest of the guys to go occupy Liam for the time being. He walked up behind her, almost too intoxicated with her scent and her presence to say anything to her. She slowly turned around when she sensed someone was behind her. She smiled up at him, causing her to practically glow. She was so different than the last time he saw her. His Luna was bright and vibrant; so full of life. He watched as her eyes lit up at him, taking it all in. “You clean up nice,” she grinned.

She couldn’t help but notice the new, dark jeans he donned for the occasion that hugged his legs and ass just the way she liked. He even found a nice, dark blue button down shirt to wear that almost matched her dress. She even noticed that he’d left his hat at home and his hair was styled - thanks to Santi, no doubt. She loved the smile she brought out in him; his eyes would form these adorable crinkles around them and a dimple would form in his cheek. It was the most endearing thing she’d ever witnessed, and she loved that he always reserved that look just for those closest to him; especially her.

He set his beer on the table and grabbed her hand to spin her around. “I could say the same about you, but I always knew you were stunning regardless,” he said.

She laughed at him. “I am pretty amazing,” she replied.

“Amazing, Astonishing, Sensational, Breathtaking,” he whispered, wrapping an arm around her to pull her close.

She felt her heart race as he continued to list more ways to compliment her. She was sure he’d run out of words soon, but he kept surprising her. “Spectacular, Marvelous, Remarkable…”

He spun her again, but this time she felt a twinge in her wrist and she winced. He saw it and stopped. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean to…”

Frankie looked down at the wrist he was holding, and realized it was her left - the one she’d been holding the previous night. He froze. 

“It’s okay, Frankie,” she panicked, “let’s grab a seat.”

He looked up at her, but held on to her hand. “Why is your wrist sore?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“It’s from yesterday. Carrying all that heavy shit,” she said, trying to play it off.

“Luna, I can read you like a book. Don’t you dare lie to me.”

She sighed, defeated, but refused to answer his question.

He slid the lace sleeve up her arm, watching her wince as he did. Slowly, he turned her arm over and saw the dark purple bruises that Liam had left behind. She felt his hand suddenly grow clammy and saw him break into a cold sweat. “Hijo de puta,” he growled under his breath, “Did he do this?”

“Mi Sol…” she tried to calm him, “It was an accident.”

“Accident? Are fucking kidding me? He grabbed you and left bruises. That doesn’t look like a goddamn accident to me, Elena.” His blood was past the boiling point. All he could see was red hot rage burning in his eyes. He dropped her hand and stormed in the direction he last saw Liam.

**Translations**

  * _Llámame si necesitas ayuda. Te amo mucho, mi Luna. - Call me if you need help. I love you very much, mi Luna._
  * _No puedes quedarte con el. - You cannot stay with him._
  * _Voy a matar a ese hijo de puta. - I’m going to kill that motherfucker._
  * _Se ve hermosa esta noche. - She looks beautiful tonight._
  * _Dile que. - Tell her that._




	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie confronts Liam about the bruises on Elena’s arm. Literally everyone is against Liam at this point, even Queen Gloria. Elena realizes she has a lot of decisions to make concerning her future, but for now, she wants to just live in the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is mild violence in this chapter.

_“‘Go and let me breathe, for you and I have decided fates.’”_

“Shit,” she said as she looked for Liam. “Frankie!” she shouted, but his anger had deafened him. “Fuck.”

Elena fixed her lace sleeve and ran after him, hoping she could calm him down before he saw Liam. Gloria saw her daughter chase after Frankie, and she knew it could only cause more problems. So, she stopped her. “Really? You two are going to cause a scene at your brother’s engagement party?” she whispered.

“I’m trying to prevent one,” Elena replied back, “but I can’t do that if you don’t let me go.”

Frankie could hear her calling behind him, but he was too hellbent on finding Liam. He, along with the rest of the crew, were gone - missing from the backyard. The longer it took to find him, the angrier he got. All he could see were the bruises that covered her arm. “Motherfucker,” he said under his breath. He turned to go to the front yard when he saw Rae. He walked straight for her and growled, “Where is he?”

She couldn’t help but grin when she pointed in the direction of the barn. 

He turned on his heel and stormed that way. Elena rushed over to Rae. “Why did you do that?”

“Because, ‘Lena, he hurt you. If anyone gets to put Liam six feet under, it’s Frankie,” Rae replied, following Frankie into the barn.

***

Santiago sat with Tom and Benny on a bale of hay while Will and Liam stood opposite of them, leaning against a post. “You seriously bought her a ring?” Tom asked.

Liam nodded. “That’s why I couldn’t make it down here on time. Her ring wasn’t ready.”

“Fuck,” Will said under his breath, “when are you going to ask her?”

Liam looked over at Will and smirked. “Why? So you can swoop in and ruin my plans?”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “If _you’re_ what makes her happy, then I’m not going to ruin it.”

Liam sighed and readjusted against the pole before answering. “I was going to do it tomorrow, but we have that campout. So I thought we’d extend our vacation a couple of extra days and we’d drive to the beach or somewhere and I’d ask her then.”

Will and Benny exchanged their usual glance before checking out of the conversation. They both straightened when they heard someone yelling Frankie’s name in the distance. They knew what was happening, and braced for the long, overdue explosion. 

Santiago jumped off his bale when he saw Frankie storming into the barn, heading straight for Liam. “Oh shit,” he said.

“You like grabbing her, motherfucker?” Frankie snarled.

Liam could only utter a simple “what” before Frankie’s fist met with his jaw. 

Frankie dropped him the second he made contact, and so he picked him back up by the collar of his shirt, boring holes into his skull with his eyes. “I saw her bruises,” he said, his voice an octave lower, “I warned you.”

Liam shoved Frankie off him and rubbed his now bruised jaw. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Her wrist! Where you grabbed her!”

Liam rolled his eyes and shook his head, which only incited more rage from Frankie. He lunged at Liam and took him to the ground. He got in a few good punches before Liam landed a solid one of his own. Frankie felt his jaw start to throb as he rolled away from Liam to gain composure. “Frankie!” she shouted from the door.

“What?” Liam exclaimed, ignoring Elena’s cries. “Are you her savior? Come to liberate her from a life _she_ chose?”

“She didn’t sign up for your possessive ass giving her bruises and throwing dishes at her,” Frankie replied, ready to lunge again.

“Is that what she told you?” Liam asked.

“Frankie!” Elena cried again.

Frankie stepped forward. “She didn’t have to tell me anything.”

Elena went to run at them, but Will held her back. This time, Liam sprung for Frankie and threw his shoulder into his stomach. He felt the wind get knocked out of him as Liam sent him into the hay bale Santiago was formerly perched on. Frankie bounced back and tackled Liam to the ground, sending another round of punches into his sides and his jaw. At this point, Elena had enough. “Will, pull Frankie off Liam, or I will.”

He nodded to the rest of the group and they separated them. Frankie was breathing heavily as he glared at Liam, who was doing the same. His jaw and sides throbbed as the adrenaline started to wear off. He smiled as much as he could when he saw Liam’s wounds. He had a busted lip and bruises already forming on his jaw and left eye. “You touch her like that again,” he said, “they won’t be able to stop me.”

“Frankie!” Elena scowled, “That’s enough.”

He turned to face her, trying to understand her anger. The air completely left his body as he saw her run to Liam’s side to comfort him. “Luna,” he softly said.

She turned to look at him, tears streaming down her face. “I didn’t ask for you to do this, Frankie! I can handle myself.”

Benny and Santi felt him relax in their grip, so they let him go as they watched him deflate. Elena glared at Santi. “Get him out of here. Mama can get him something for those bruises.”

They pushed Frankie towards the door. “Luna,” his voice breaking, “I lo-”

“Please, just go, mi Sol,” she softly replied before turning back to Liam. She didn’t turn around to watch him leave for fear of upsetting Liam even more. She grabbed a rag off the tractor and wiped away the blood on his busted lip and eyebrow. “Seriously?” She asked, “you had to tackle him into the hay bales?”

He winced and then smiled at her. “You know I couldn’t let him win when I was defending _us_.”

She looked deep into his eyes and saw, for the first time, what everyone was talking about. There was no love there, no desire. His pupils were fully dilated for the sole purpose of competition, and now that he beat Frankie, she could see him enjoying every second of his “win”. Elena knew, in that moment, that he wasn’t defending her. He was securing himself as the victor over Frankie, even if that meant letting himself take the beating he did. 

She helped Liam stand up and move towards the barn entrance. “Let’s get you back to the house, and I can patch you up there,” she said.

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, and suddenly her skin burned from his touch. He was not the Liam she fell in love with, or maybe that Liam never existed and she was blind to everything the whole time. She felt a few tears roll down her cheeks and she prayed she was wrong. She prayed that her Liam would return to her; he was just caught up in the moment; he really did love her and these last four years weren’t for nothing.

She opened the door and led him into the kitchen while she grabbed a washcloth and some ice. Liam sat there patient as ever while he waited for her to tend to his wounds. He sighed as he took the Tylenol she handed him and placed the ice over his eye. She held another bag of ice over his jaw as she watched him relax. “Thank you,” he said.

“For what?” She said sharply.

He removed the ice from his eye so he could look at her. “You chose me,” he smiled.

She looked at him, dumbfounded.

He held her hand in his as he set the ice on the table. “Remember that time Frankie got in that car accident?”

She closed her eyes and nodded. How could she forget? That was the moment that solidified his hatred for Frankie. 

“Ever since then, I always had it in my head that if given the opportunity, you would abandon me for Frankie. That’s why I waited so long to make my move after he left. I’d been in love with you since day one, and I didn’t want to risk you breaking my heart like you did back then.”

She felt her heart shatter a little for him. If anyone understood being abandoned by someone you loved, it was her. “Oh, Liam,” she softly said as she placed the ice back on his cheek, “if that’s how you really felt, why didn’t you say something?”

“Because,” he began, “I didn’t want you to make this decision out of pity for me. I wanted you to make this decision because you want to.”

She lightly kissed his bruised lips. “I’m sorry if you ever doubted me.”

Elena looked deep into his eyes again and she saw the look she had seen for years: the one of love and adoration. She felt the warmth return to her as her prayers were slowly answered. He was still her Liam.

***

Frankie sat in a chair while Gloria tossed a raw steak at him. “Put this on your jaw,” she said, “it’ll take the bruising out faster.”

“Gracias, Mamá,” he whispered, looking at her sheepishly.

She stood by the door with her arms folded and stared at him. “What am I going to do with you?”

He tried to give her his signature boyish grin, but his jaw hurt too much.

She tapped her foot three times before sitting in the chair across from him. Santiago and the guys were scattered around the kitchen afraid to say anything just in case Gloria would turn on them in traditional “mother fashion.” She sighed. “Elliott always knew how to get through to you better than I ever could,” she said with a solemn expression, “and I know you’d listen to Antonio, but he’s not Elliott. For some reason, the two of you shared a bond none of us will ever understand.” She looked outside before finishing, “not even David.”

Frankie felt warmth spread in his chest. The validation from Gloria made his heart swell. He knew that Elliott loved him like a son, but to hear it from someone else who’d witnessed it made it that much more real, despite how brief it was. “I don’t think he’d be able to say anything to fix this,” Frankie said.

Gloria shook her head and looked at Santi. “You know, he loved both of you boys. Honestly, he loved the fact that Elena kept bringing home people that needed a family. He had so much love in his heart that he wanted to share it with the world. It’s a shame that’s what killed him.”

Frankie’s chest tightened. He never liked to think about Elliott’s death; in fact, he never talked about it. He blamed himself, because he was supposed to be there in the garage helping him, but instead he and Santi left to see a movie. _Top_ _Gun_ to be exact. Had he been with Elliott he could have called for 911 when he collapsed. He could have kept him alive longer, maybe even saved his life.

Gloria saw the look of anguish spread across his face, and she grabbed his hand. “Don’t you dare start blaming yourself, again, Francisco. He told you to go with Santi. He even gave you money for snacks. I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself.”

All he could do was nod. 

She tightened her grip on his hand slightly and glanced back to Santiago before continuing. “I honestly believe he hoped one of you two would be the one taking care of his little Luna.” She looked down at Frankie who was keeping his eyes trained on his boots while he continued to hold the meat against his cheek. “No offense, Santi, but I’m pretty sure he wanted his Sol to care for her.”

Frankie gazed up at her with a small bit of pride hidden behind defeat. Yet another way he has failed Elliott.

“I never told anyone,” she continued, “but the week before he died, we were laying in bed. She had just broken up with her first middle school boyfriend, and you decided to take her mind off it by having a camp out in the backyard. Remember?”

He smiled and nodded.

“Well, we were in bed talking and listening to the two of you laugh. You’d made her smile so much that night that we didn’t think she’d ever stop. It was at that moment Elliott knew,” she wiped away a few tears with a towel, “he knew that when he’d walk his baby girl down the aisle that he’d be giving her to the only man that deserved her.”

Frankie felt a few tears escape, and he did his best to hide them from the guys. “Well, I hardly deserve her now,” he shakily said.

Gloria shook her head and stood. “Mijo, we are all far from perfect. You deserve her more than any man, especially _him_. And, Elliott would want me to tell you,” she paused and winked at Santiago, “Fuck Liam.”

He tried to laugh, but the rest of the guys whooped and laughed loud enough for him. Benny walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Mama,” he said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard you cuss, but damn, if that didn’t sound so sweet coming out of your mouth.”

Gloria laughed and waved him away. “If you tell anyone,” she said, “I’ll deny it.”

David and Carla walked in through the deck door and stopped. “We heard you beat the shit out of Liam,” he said.

“Language, mijo,” Gloria chastised.

“Lo siento, mamá.” He turned his attention back to Frankie.

“Who told you that?” He asked, still holding the now lukewarm steak to his face.

“I did,” Rae said as she entered the very crowded kitchen, “so, the committee is all here. What’s our next plan, chief?” 

She saluted Tom, who just shook his head. “This isn’t my plan. I believe Benny came up with Operation Casablanca.”

“This is all on Pope. He’s the one that said we needed to get rid of Liam.”

Santiago grinned and walked to Rae, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her close to him. “I have a few ideas, and most of it starts tomorrow at the rehearsal.”

Carla gasped. “I swear Santi…”

He held his hands up in surrender. “Prometo que no pasará nada. Or at least nothing that will ruin your day.”

She let out a deep breath. “I just don’t want Frankie to be completely bruised for the pictures. Liam isn’t in the wedding party, but Frankie…”

Santi nodded. “He will look better than he does now for your pictures. Scout’s Honor,” he promised holding up the Scout sign.

“You were never in Scouts,” Rae said.

“I am basically a trained-to-kill Scout. It counts.”

She rolled her eyes and lightly elbowed him. Frankie, still staring at his boots, was shaking his head. “You guys,” he softly said, “I don’t care what your plans are. None of it matters if she’s already made her decision.”

Santiago was growing tired of Frankie’s passive attitude, especially after what he witnessed in the barn. “Look, you have tomorrow and Saturday and that’s it. He’s going to propose to her on Sunday, and after that, you’ll lose her forever.”

Gloria looked up at him. “He’s going to what?”

He nodded. “Elena found the ring in his pants this morning.”

She thumped Frankie on the shoulder. “You better rub some dirt in it, Francisco. That asshole is _not_ going to be my son-in-law.”

Frankie glanced over to Santiago. He felt his heart racing as each moment passed. There was now a countdown on their relationship. No matter how bad he wanted to stay in her life, the second Liam put that ring on her finger, he’d never see his Luna again. “You know she’s not happy, hermano,” Santiago said, taking Gloria’s seat across from him.

His blood started to boil again as he remembered the bruises on her arm. “Hijo de puta,” he whispered, “did you see her wrist?”

Santiago and Rae both nodded. “She told us this morning.”

Frankie stared at him and slammed the steak on the table. “And you did _nothing_?”

“She made us promise to let her handle it,” Rae said in their defense, “but we both knew what would happen the moment you saw them.”

Will tensed up and looked at his brother. “How bad are they?”

Frankie snarled and turned his attention to Will. “Deep purple fingerprints on her wrist and arm,” he said, pointing to the areas on his own arm. “The fucker grabbed her last night while they argued.”

“Was that before or after he threw the glass?” Tom asked, stepping forward.

Frankie shrugged.

Gloria gasped. “What happened?”

Frankie stood and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mama,” he said, “he’s not going to lay a hand on our girl again.”

“Damn right he’s not,” Benny agreed.

Santiago turned to them with his hands raised. “Calm down there, fellas. We can’t commit a felony before the wedding. Carla will kill us.”

They relaxed back against the counter, and Rae fixed Frankie’s shirt and hair. “I think we should rejoin the party and pretend like nothing happened, for now,” she said, “there’s no use in getting worked up, while she’s with Liam.”

David laughed. “I think it’s time for Benny to give his best man speech anyway,” he said.

Benny’s face turned white. “You just said I only had to give one at the wedding,” he panicked.

“You just need to thank everyone for coming.”

“Don’t worry, my sister is giving her speech first. Just follow her lead,” Carla added.

“You know,” Benny said, “ten years of putting up with your bullshit, Bohannon, and I still keep hanging out with you.”

David shoved him towards the door. “Onwards to the speech, soldier.”

“Fuck,” he said under his breath as they started to flood out of the kitchen into the back yard.

“Language, mijo,” Gloria reminded him, but he was already too far out of earshot to hear her. She turned her attention back to Frankie who lingered behind. “What is it?”

“Thank you,” he said, “for everything. You and Elliott welcomed me into your family when you didn’t have to. I’ll always love you both more than you know.”

She gave his arm a motherly pat as she looked at him. “Of course we had to,” she said, “you’ve been family since I got that principal’s call in kindergarten to come pick her up for starting a fight.”

He smiled and hugged her. “I’ll take my steak rare,” he laughed.

“Oh, you think after taking care of you that I’m going to grill you a steak?” she laughed and sat down. “I’ll take my steak medium rare,” she smiled.

He grabbed it and tossed it on a plate. “Yes, ma’am.”

***

Elena and Liam sat in the kitchen for a while as she cleaned his cuts. She heard the music die down, and she knew that the maid of honor and best man were welcoming everyone to the party. “Liam,” she sighed, “we need to get back out there.”

He groaned. “You want me to go out there looking like this?”

She nodded. “They’re already going to see you at the rehearsal and wedding like this. Besides, I’m sure it’s already made its way around the party about what happened.”

Liam leaned back in the chair and sighed. “I have a severe headache. Why don’t you go on without me?”

Elena frowned and looked at him. She knew there was only one way to get him to come with her, and it killed her to say it. “You know, by hiding away here, he wins,” she said. She could taste the bile on her tongue as the words left her mouth. She didn’t honestly believe what she said, but she knew just how to push Liam’s buttons to get him to do what she wanted.

“He knows I’ve already won,” he grinned playfully at her, “Go on. He won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.”

Elena glared at him. “Did you just quote Tom from _The Great Gatsby_?”

His smile grew wider, as if he was more than proud of himself. “Of course. Isn’t that your favorite movie?”

She shook her head. “No, _Casablanca_ is.”

“Book?”

“ _Persuasion_.”

He shrugged and put the ice back over his eye. “Close enough. I probably have a concussion, anyway.”

Elena stood up. “Fine. I’ll be back later. Come out if you’re feeling better.”

She moved to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist - _the wrist_ \- lightly. Liam turned it to the side and slid her sleeve up to reveal the bruises Frankie beat him to a pulp over. He softly kissed each of them, and she felt a few tears stream down her face. “I’m sorry, ‘Lena,” he whispered.

“I still meant what I said,” she replied, “if it happens again, we’re done.”

She walked out of the house and rejoined her friends and family to celebrate her brother. Before everyone could see her, she straightened her dress and stood a little taller to give the illusion of confidence. Her heart raced, and for some reason she was nervous - terrified of facing her friends after what happened. Mostly, she couldn’t face Frankie. She’d hurt him the second she’d chosen Liam and sent him away. She didn’t want to look him in the eyes and see the pain again, but she also couldn’t stay away from him.

She instantly found Rae and Santiago sitting at a table, with an empty spot between Santi and Frankie, almost as if they’d been saving it for her. Without hesitating, she took several strides over to them and sat down next to Frankie. She rested her hands in her lap and fidgeted with the hem of her dress. He didn’t say anything as she sat next to him, but instead placed his hand over hers and held onto it. Elena suddenly felt at peace. Safe. Home. He ran his thumb lightly on her knee in an attempt to calm her, but instead it sent chills up her spine and a warm, yearning deep in her stomach. She was melting under his touch.

Benny stood up and cleared his throat as he held his champagne glass, signaling it was his turn to welcome everyone. This brought her out of her daze and she smiled at him, mouthing “good luck”, while he looked like he was going to vomit. Santi leaned over and whispered to her, “And to think, I’ll get to do this at your wedding someday.”

She laughed. “Liam will most definitely choose literally anyone except you as a best man.”

Elena felt Frankie’s muscles tense, but he didn’t stop holding her hand or moving his thumb.

Santi chuckled and whispered even lower. “Who said I meant your wedding to Liam?”

She glared at him, but he moved away to lean closer to Rae - no doubt to whisper something dirty to her, based on the look on her face. He then grabbed her by the hand and led her to a secluded area away from the party. Elena looked down at Frankie’s hand and knew she should move it, stop him, but she couldn’t. There was something about the whole scene that felt right, natural. She sighed and decided to indulge in her fantasy for a long as she could, ignoring the fact that she needed to make a decision. She needed to determine if she wanted to remain with Liam. 

The life they had together was good, aside from the last few days; it was perfect. He was a loving and caring man that had taken care of her for the last four years. He supported her and put up with her crazy work schedule that was never consistent. He rarely complained that she’d occasionally spend more time at her restaurant than at home, because most of the time he was still working too. Their lives just made sense. They fit; until they didn’t. Staying with Liam would mean losing Frankie all over again, and she couldn’t bear that thought; not after finally getting him back in her life. Elena felt her heart crack as she pictured boarding a plane for New York and leaving him behind forever. She’d never see him again after this weekend was over. If she did, it would be in passing, at reunions, but never in an intimate setting where she could lean against her friend and wish away all of her problems. 

A tear fell down her cheek, and she tried to inconspicuously wipe it away. However, ever attentive, she caught Frankie’s attention and he turned to her, lightly squeezing the hand he still held. “What’s wrong, mi Luna?”

She saw Will and Tom turn their gazes to them. “I’m fine, mi Sol,” she said in a hushed tone, “It’s just been a very hectic evening.”

“I can tell when you’re lying,” he said, leaning closer to her ear.

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. “It’s nothing, Frankie.”

He longed to throw his arm around her and hold her close, but he knew that would send the wrong message to everyone at the party. So, he settled for continuing to discreetly hold her hand. She looked down at their hands, and she placed another hand over his while she glanced up at her brother and Carla. They were completely happy and enamored with each other. Both were in such a state of complete bliss that they were unaware of the party taking place around them. She smiled a sweet, melancholic smile - envious of their euphoria. 

Will looked back at Elena and Frankie after Benny finally finished his speech (if he could call it that) and saw Frankie lost in her presence. While she observed David and Carla, Frankie gazed on her. He had a hard time believing that this hardened soldier, who’d seen and dealt his fair share of brutality, could melt into this soft man just by being in the presence of a woman he adored. He smiled, though, because he understood. Elena was incredible and hard to not love. He shot a glance over to Tom, who just shook his head and turned his back on them. Normally people grow apart, especially after spending so much time away from each other. But Elena and Frankie, Luna y Sol, picked up where they left off. They remained in each other’s orbit even with thousands of miles between them.

He turned around and said to Tom, “It’s not right. He’s sacrificed so much for her, for the country.”

“She’s just scared,” Tom replied, “there’s too much of a shroud over her future if she leaves behind the stable life she built for herself. There’s no security in that. What will she do with her restaurant? Will she move back here? Will she have to move with Frankie every time he is stationed at a different base? What happens if he gets deployed? What happens if he never comes back?” He glanced back to find them, but they’d walked to the edge of the garden to sit on the bench surrounded by Gloria’s roses that hid them just enough that no wandering eye could see the pair - unless they were looking for them. “This life is a hard life to live with so many uncertainties. She will seriously have to worry every minute he’s gone if she’ll see him again. What if he doesn’t come back? Would he want her to be a widow in her thirties? He knows this, that’s why he’s so hesitant. He won’t say it, but he knows what price he might have to pay for living this kind of life.”

Will took a deep breath and glanced back to the end of the garden at the two of them. They were so lost in each other that it hurt everyone to watch. Frankie moved to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. He let his hand linger just a little before he gently ran it down her cheek, stopping at her chin. “When she leaves on Sunday,” he said, “it’ll destroy both of them.”

***

Frankie held her chin and looked down into her beautiful green eyes. “Luna,” he whispered.

“Sol?” She smiled up at him.

“Can I kiss you?” His heart raced as he waited for her answer. He wanted nothing more than to feel her lips on his. He’d craved it more than air at this point. 

At this moment, she thought of nothing. No Liam. No restaurant. No life outside of her and Frankie. Without giving it any thought, she lightly nodded. He felt his heart stop as he slowly closed the gap between then and gave her the softest kiss, her eyes slowly closing as she leaned into him. He yearned for more, but this would suffice. Frankie felt time stop completely around them as he held her face to his, letting her smooth lips move against his. _Please, never leave._ He thought, praying they could stay in this moment forever. Elena placed her arms around his neck and played with the curls at the base of his skull. He let his hands move away from her face as he pulled her closer, resting them on her sides just under her arms. Slowly, she brought her hands to his face and pulled away from him. “Thank you,” she breathed.

“For what?” he said, resting his forehead on hers.

“Defending me,” she added, “Even though I had already handled it with him last night.”

He took a deep breath to steady his breathing. “I will be there to protect you so long as you want me.” He looked longingly into her eyes. “‘I said I’d never leave you.’”

She smiled, realizing after all this time he still had quotes from her favorite movie memorized. “‘And you never will.’”

**Translations**

  * _Lo siento. - I’m sorry._
  * _Prometo que no pasará nada. - I promise nothing will happen._




	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena weighs her options and makes a decision. The rehearsal dinner adds more pressure on both Elena and Frankie.

_“You illuminate the day, and I cast a glow on the night. We will never be. Our connection would go against what all the people believe, all they know.”_

Elena laid in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling silently hating herself while she heard Frankie’s voice ringing in her ears:

> _“Are you utterly happy with your life? It should be an easy question for you if you’re happy,” he had asked her._

She didn’t give it much thought after he’d asked, until tonight. The answer was no. She wasn’t happy, but she was content. Her life was easy - well, comfortable. She knew what the rest of her life would look like if she stayed with Liam, and though there was nothing exciting about that future, it was safe. They’d stay forever in their apartment, no family, working until they didn’t. With Frankie, there were so many unanswered questions, uncertainties about what was ahead for them. _Since when did I play it safe?_ She thought to herself. Growing up, she never played it safe. She jumped head first into situations, but after Frankie broke her heart, she found herself more guarded. She put the real Elena in a box and shoved it under her bed to collect dust along with those faded photographs of them. With Frankie back in her life, she was reminded of her old self. She missed her, the Elena that loved life, loved taking risks, going on adventures. 

Elena looked over at Liam who was fast asleep next to her and she sighed. Since coming back here, he’d become a stranger to her. She’d seen the Liam everyone else saw. Her mind instantly flashed to the ring she’d found earlier this morning, and suddenly she was full of dread. She couldn’t even force herself to say yes to him as she played out the scenario in her mind. She realized then and there, she wasn’t in love with Liam like he claimed he was with her. She rolled back over, her mind drifting back to the dock: 

> _“I had a few girlfriends,” Frankie admitted, “but no, there was never anyone else.”_
> 
> _Elena glanced at him. “But…”_
> 
> _He sighed and turned to face her. “Luna, it’s always been you. Only you. Those girlfriends weren’t my ‘someone else’, because I knew my heart was wherever you were.”_

And there was never anyone else for her, either. Frankie was her one. The day he ripped her heart out, she’d forgiven him. She was a shattered mess of her former self, but she knew the minute she saw him again, she’d be healed. He’d taken part of her with him the day he left for bootcamp, and he’d kept it with him since. She relived all the turmoil she felt when she first saw him in the diner, and despite the overwhelming anger and pain she felt, she also had the sense of feeling whole. The missing piece of her heart - no her soul - was home.

She rolled over and looked at the time on her phone. 3:00AM. _Fuck_. She thought. She shrugged and picked her phone up, unplugging it from the charger and quietly walked down the stairs until she got to the porch. She sat down on the stairs and looked out across the yard. It was too early to call Rae, and she’d be super pissed off that she woke her up. Elena didn’t want to call Frankie, because she needed to distance herself from him while she thought about everything. Her only other options were the guys. Santiago was so biased. He’d never liked Liam, so he was out as an option. Finally, Elena sighed and dialed Will’s number. It rang three times before a groggy “hello” came through the other end.

“Sorry to wake you, Will,” she apologized, “I know it’s early.”

“You’re fine,” he said, slowly waking up more, “what’s wrong, Elena?”

“I just need someone to talk to,” she sighed.

“Diner?”

“I’ll see you in twenty,” she said as she hung up.

***

Will was sitting in their usual spot with Benny smiling at her as she walked in. “Why do you look like you’re going to the gym?” Benny laughed.

She glared at him. “So I have something to tell Liam when I get home.”

Will shook his head. “I tried to come alone, but he heard me leaving and said he was craving waffles.”

Elena smiled at Benny and raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re craving waffles at 3AM?”

“You called Will at 3AM to talk. I feel like mine is more normal. No one calls Will.”

She leaned back against the booth and sighed. She started regretting her decision to come here, but she needed someone she knew would give her the harsh truth. 

“What did you want to talk about, ‘Lena?” Will asked as he mixed sugar into his coffee. Benny stretched his arms and yawned before leaning against the window.

She looked forward at Will. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore,” she began, “I had my shit together in New York. My life is run by a precise schedule. It’s organized and…”

“Safe,” Will added.

Elena nodded. “But then I came back here, and Santiago brought Frankie back in my life…”

Will and Benny exchange knowing looks before turning their attention to her. Will folded his arms and leaned forward on the table. “Elena, I am going to say this to you completely unbiased. I thought this when I first met you and before I ever knew the history between you and Frankie.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Liam is terrible for you. He doesn’t care about you and he certainly doesn’t love you. I could tell the first day I met you that you were unhappy, that something was missing from your life.”

She felt tears starting to form in her eyes. “I thought I was happy! I have everything I dreamed of.”

Benny shook his head. “No, you don’t. You hid behind this facade for so long that you’ve tricked yourself into believing you’re happy with your life. You know deep down that someone very important to you is missing from it. You and Liam keep each other around for selfish reasons. He uses you to gloat and you use him as a piss poor example of a safety net.”

Will nodded in agreement. “Elena, we love you. All of us do, and that’s why it probably feels like everyone is against you right now. We see how unhappy you are, and we know exactly who you need in your life to make everything right.” He showed her a picture on his phone. “This was us at the Army Ball two years ago,” he said.

She saw Tom with his current girlfriend; Will and Benny with what looked like twins; Santi and Rae; David and Carla; and finally Frankie with some blonde girl. She was beautiful. Picture perfect, stereotypical Army Wife material wearing a long, blue gown that really brought out the deep blue in her eyes. Elena felt her face flush and her heart rate pick up. She was jealous of this woman. She couldn’t help but resent her. Then, she glanced over at Frankie and saw his smile. Except it was the same smile she’d been giving since he left. One that feigned happiness. The smile stopped at his cheeks and never reached his eyes. 

“You see it, don’t you?” Will asked. “Because it’s the same smile you have in your pictures.”

She felt her heart ache for Frankie. She nodded and looked up at Will. 

“Can I ask you a question?” Benny asked. She looked over at him, sadness brimming at the edge of her eyes. “Why are you dressed like you’re going to the gym, again?”

Elena sighed. “So I have something to tell Liam when I get back.”

“Why can’t you just tell him the truth, that you met us for an early breakfast?”

She knew what he was doing, and it was working. He was trying to make a point that Liam controlled her, manipulated her into believing this fantasy that she’d been living in. She stared at Benny, refusing to respond to him. 

“Elena,” he said, “You can’t keep doing this.”

She looked down at her hands as she fidgeted with the bottom part of her shirt. “I know,” she whispered, “But I can’t do it to him now. Not here.”

“Then when?” Will asked.

“When we get home. We fly home Sunday morning. At least there we don’t have the pressures of everyone scrutinizing us here, and we can have a rational conversation.”

Benny looked at Will. “Tell her,” he said.

She glanced between the two of them. Will took a deep breath and began, “He changed your flights. You guys aren’t leaving until Wednesday, now.”

She felt her heart race and pictured the box she saw in his pants. Elena was going to have to face the moment she dreaded most: telling him no when he asked her to marry him. “He’s going to propose?”

Will and Benny nodded. “It’ll be easier to tell him sooner rather than later,” Will added.

Elena felt the tears spill down her face as she covered it with her hands. They watched her shoulders heaving as she tried to stifle her sobs. Will immediately sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her for comfort. She leaned into him and let the tears flow. “I need to wait until at least after the wedding,” she whispered, “If I do it today or tomorrow, it’ll ruin everything.”

Will sighed. “What about Frankie?”

She wiped her eyes on the napkin in front of her. “Please, don’t tell him anything,” she begged, “I’ll tell him after I talk to Liam.”

“‘Lena,” Benny said, “this is killing him.”

She glared at him. “Well, he waited ten fucking years. Two more days won’t hurt.”

Will hugged her tighter. He knew she was only lashing out because she was hurting. She was leaving the safety net she’d grown so accustomed to the last several years and was turning her life upside down. Elena wrapped her arms around him and held on. “Elena, I promise, this will get better. Liam doesn’t deserve you, and…”

She looked up at him with a tear stained face. “I’m afraid to tell him, Will,” she whispered, “you saw what happened when he got here.”

“‘Lena,” Benny began, “has he done this before?”

She wiped her eyes again and nodded, followed by a quick shake of her head. “He’s never hurt me before, if that’s what you meant,” she said. Elena took a deep breath to calm herself, but she continued to shudder at the memory. “He’d found an old picture I kept of Frankie and I in my nightstand. It was our picture we took the day they dropped me off at school.”

Benny moved to be across from her and leaned in to listen to her. She took another deep breath. “It was the last picture of us that we took together, because he avoided me every chance he could after that. Anyway,” she sighed, “when Liam found it, it led to a huge argument. He threw a vase at the door and punched a hole through the bedroom wall as he walked out of the room. That’s the reason Cal hates him.”

He shook his head at her. “Why did you stay with him after that?”

She shrugged. “ I actually almost left him after that, and I honestly can’t remember why I stayed.” She took another deep breath and then a long drink of the water sitting in front of her. “Ever since then, we’ve never brought Frankie up.”

“‘Lena,” Will said, turning to face her, “If you need one of us to be there when you tell him, call.”

Elena nodded and wiped her eyes again. “I’m just afraid of how he’ll react. The other day, he grabbed me when he thought I was trying to leave him for Frankie, and that’s why I have these bruises.”

“If he fucking touches you again,” Benny said, “Frankie can kill him, but we’re taking care of burying his ass.”

She took another deep breath to calm herself. The waitress stopped by with their food and smiled at Benny as she gave his. He winked at her, causing her to blush before running back to her station. “Really?” Will said.

“What?” he innocently pleaded, taking a bite of his food.

Elena looked down at the omelette in front of her, picking at it with her fork. “Please, don’t say anything to Frankie.”

“We won’t,” Will promised.

“And please, tonight, don’t let them kill each other.”

“I can’t make any promises there, sis,” Benny said between bites, “I’m actually betting Frankie drowns him in the lake fifteen minutes in.”

“Ben!” his brother exclaimed.

He sighed and looked at a very annoyed Elena. “Sorry,” he mumbled, “but you know they’re not going to play nice.”

“I know,” she replied, “I just want you to make sure they don’t kill each other.”

“I’ll keep Liam occupied,” Will said, “they’ll both be back Saturday in one piece.”

She slumped back against the booth after taking a bite of her food. She knew in her heart she was making the right decision, but for some reason she felt extremely guilty. She wanted nothing more than to wake up from this over dramatic nightmare her life had become, but she knew if she stayed a little longer, she’d finally get her happy ending.

***

They had stayed at the diner long enough that the sun had risen high enough that it peaked over the buildings. “If he gives you any shit,” Benny said, “You call.”

She smiled and nodded at him while she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’ll see you tonight at the rehearsal dinner.”

Will wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead. “We love you,” he said softly.

They watched her drive away before climbing into Pope’s car they practically stole and drove back to his house. It didn’t take them long to get back, and they saw Rae’s car still parked out front. Will decided not to open the garage door and pull the car in for Santi, just in case everyone was still sleeping off their hangover’s from the party. They snuck in quietly through the front door, only to be greeted with the smells of a very greasy breakfast. Will walked in first and saw Rae and Santi cooking together. Well, it was more Rae than Santi, since he just kept trying to keep his hands on her. “Will you stop?” she laughed as his hands tickled her sides. “You’re going to wake everyone up and they’re not going to get any breakfast.”

“That’s fine. I’ll just take mine back upstairs where we can…”

“Please,” Benny said, “ _don’t_ finish that sentence.”

Santi quickly turned around and looked at them. “You two look like you’ve been up for a while.”

Will nodded. “Is Frankie up?” 

“Yeah,” Santi said, “but he took his truck for a drive and probably went up to the farm.”

“Perfect,” Will said, “we were sworn to secrecy, but basically just to not tell Frankie.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Will and Benny took seats at the counter. “I got a call at 3:00 from Elena. She asked to talk. So, we met her at the diner.”

“Things aren’t good with her and Liam.”

Rae removed the last pieces of bacon from the pan and turned to face them. “Why didn’t she call me?”

“Because she figured you’d stayed here with Santi,” Benny grinned.

She rolled her eyes and blushed. “What did she say?”

“Frankie needs to bide his time a little while longer,” Will continued, “he can’t give up now. Because she’s done with Liam’s bullshit.”

Santiago and Rae gazed at each other, exchanging the biggest smiles between them. 

“There’s something else,” he added, “Liam’s outburst the other day isn’t the first one. He’s done something similar before.”

He saw Santiago’s chest puff out. “Hijo de puta,” he growled, “I’m going to fucking kill him for touching mi hermanita.”

“Pope, no,” Will said, “she said she’d call us if she needed help. We have to play nice for the next forty-eight hours.”

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Fine. And we can’t tell Frankie?”

They shook their heads. “No. She’s going to take care of everything. We just have to make sure they play nice.”

“Great.”

***

She took a deep breath before stepping out of the car to face Liam. She could see him in the kitchen making a cup of coffee, going about his usual morning routine without a second thought about her. Elena walked up the stairs to the porch and into the foyer. “Good morning,” he said, handing her a cup of coffee, “I made some coffee for you.”

She smiled at him, and tried to act like everything was normal. “Thanks, dear,” she said. He craned his neck for a good morning kiss, to which she obliged.

“Gym?” he asked, turning to go back into the kitchen.

“Yeah. I wanted to get an early workout, since I have a late night ahead of me,” she smiled, sitting at the small table.

He set down an omelette in front of her. “Egg white omelette, just like you like,” he said with a smile.

It was clear Liam was trying to make up for what happened with him and Frankie the night before, and it was sweet moments like this that made her feel guilty. She just needed to keep reminding herself that this was his way of manipulating her. Though she was full, she knew it would look suspicious if she didn’t eat a little of it. “David said they’re leaving here at seven,” she said between small bites.

He nodded. “Do you think it’s a good idea I go?” he asked.

She sighed. _No_. She thought. “Of course,” she replied, “David wants you there.”

“I know, but…” he trailed off.

“What?” she snapped. 

He glanced at her with a concerned look, but at this point they both knew why he was hesitant. “Frankie is one of his groomsmen, and so he will be there too.”

She rolled her eyes and moved her plate away from her. “Liam, be the bigger person and put your differences aside for the sake of my brother.”

“What about _him_?”

“Don’t worry about _Frankie_ ,” she said with almost a growl, “just stay away from each other. I’m sure it’ll be easy since enough of you are going.”

He took a long sip of his coffee. “What are you girls doing tonight?”

Elena shrugged. “I’m not sure. I know we’re going to Carla’s sister’s house for drinks and facials. I doubt it’ll be a slumber party. Carla wants to get plenty of rest tonight after the rehearsal.”

He smiled at her and sat down across from her. “You ever think about us getting married?”

Elena’s heart sank, but she tried not to show it. “I have,” she replied slowly. That caused his smile to grow even wider. “What does our future look like to you?”

Liam laid back against his chair and looked past her, thinking of what he wanted their life to look like once they got married. “We’d probably move out of our apartment and find us either a nice penthouse or townhouse to buy. You’d have your second restaurant; I would get that promotion I’ve worked my ass off for. But, honestly, not much different. Our life now is perfect.”

“You don’t want a family?”

He laughed and snapped out of his daydream. “How would we be able to fit kids into our lives? We’re hardly home enough as it is.”

She sighed. She thought that was the life she wanted, up until a few days ago. Elena realized how cold New York was. It wasn’t truly her home. Rae was right; she did run back here every chance she got. Texas was always her home. Manhattan was just a place she ran to in order to escape all of the heartache and memories. She wanted to move back home, open her own diner, have several kids, and live out the rest of her days on the farm with the man she loves. 

“What about you?” Liam nervously asked.

She glanced up at him. “I had a very different vision for our future,” she admitted.

He set his mug on the table and crossed his arms, waiting for her to finish. “Yeah?”

Elena nodded and continued, “If we got married, I would want to move back here to be close to our families. I’d move my restaurant down here, or open a totally different one. We’d buy a small farm where the kids could grow. We’d have cows, chickens, horses - the whole lot. Spend Sunday mornings on our back deck, drinking sweet tea or fresh lemonade while we watched the kids run around the yard after church. Maybe late in the evenings when the kids had gone to sleep, we’d sneak out and sprawl out on the dock looking up at the stars - reveling in how great our life turned out to be.”

Liam laughed. “That’s quite a dream you have,” he said, “but what about our life in New York? You’d just want to up and leave all of that behind?”

She finally looked at him, expressionless. “Yes.”

He shook his head and finished his coffee. Liam leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I’ve got a conference call this morning, but after that, I should be free all day.”

She sighed, feeling unheard. “We have to be at the church at 3. The rehearsal starts at 3:30.”

“Since I’m not in the wedding,” he said, “If my meeting runs long, I’ll just meet you at the restaurant.”

“Try to be off your call before then, please,” she said annoyed, “I don’t want to drive there alone.”

He nodded as he walked out of the kitchen, and she leaned her head back against the chair as she slid forward. As she closed her eyes, she saw the future she described in front of her, except Liam wasn’t in the picture. It was Frankie. She felt her heart skip several beats as she relished in the sight. It was official: she needed to end things with Liam. They had such different ideals in life that there was no way either of them would be happy in a marriage. 

She cleaned up her plate and walked up stairs to change into clothes she could lounge in until it was time to leave for the rehearsal.

***

Frankie looked in the mirror and messed with his button down. He bought two new shirts for this weekend that wasn’t part of the tux he had to wear for Saturday. This was his second new shirt, and his personal favorite. It was a dark green shirt that went with the colors for the wedding.. He opted to leave the top two buttons undone and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. Frankie tucked it into his dress slacks and wove a dark brown belt in through the loops before slipping on his best dress shoes. He ran some sort of product that Santiago gave him through his hair trying to get it to lay the right way. Will walked in and sat on his bed. “Looking good, Catfish,” he grinned.

He smiled and shook his head as he fixed his shirt one last time. “Shut up, Ironhead,” he mumbled.

“Getting dressed up for, _Luna_?” he asked, drawing out her name as much as he could.

He grabbed his phone and slid it into his pocket. “Shut up, Ironhead,” he said again.

Will laughed and slapped his hand on his shoulder. “In all seriousness, though, Elena called me this morning.”

Frankie stopped and glanced up at him. “Why?”

“She wants me to force you to promise to play nice for the next two days,” he said.

He grimaced. “I will, if he can keep his fucking hands off her.”

“That’s what I told her.”

Santiago and Rae were yelling for them at the bottom of the stairs. “If we’re late, Carla might actually breath fire!” Santi exclaimed.

“I’m taking my truck,” he said, running down the stairs.

“Good, because we’re packed in my car,” Santi replied.

They pulled into the church parking lot, and he looked around for Elena. Her whole family was here, except for her. Carla and David were standing just outside the church taking a few pictures with her family; Gloria and Antonio were standing off to the side smiling and watching. He walked over to them and leaned into Gloria. “Where is she?”

Gloria rolled her eyes. “She’s running late, because Liam was still on the phone.”

Right on cue, she pulled into the parking lot like a bat out of hell in her mother’s car. Alone. Frankie, honestly, couldn’t have been happier to see she left Liam. She jumped out of the car, almost before she put it in park. She ran over to them, obviously flustered and stopped when she got to Frankie and her parents. Elena handed her mother the keys. “Thanks, Mama,” she said, “I’ll have to go pick him up after the rehearsal and we will meet you all at the restaurant.”

“Still working?” Gloria asked irritatedly. 

Elena rolled her eyes and nodded. “As always.”

She finally looked over at Frankie, whose eyes had yet to leave her. Antonio grabbed Gloria’s hand and led her away. She was in another beautiful dress, this time a deep green that really made her eyes look like emeralds. This time, it was a little longer than the one from last night, but it flared out around her. “Cat got your tongue,” she smiled at him.

He tried to grin, but his jaw was stuck on the ground. “You look like a dream,” he whispered.

Elena blushed and wrapped her arm through his. “You’re making me blush, mi Sol,” she said in his ear.

“Well, it’s true, mi Luna. You look more beautiful than the moon and the stars combined.” he replied, looking down at her.

Her smile faded as she looked in his eyes and saw the love and adoration she’d been craving her entire life. Frankie made her feel seen, present. The most Liam ever said to her was that she was beautiful. Frankie made her feel worshipped. She could carry herself a little taller when she was with him. Elena reached up and placed a hand on his cheek as she kissed the other one. “I pale in comparison to you, mi Sol,” she whispered.

He looked down at his feet and smiled. Frankie led her to the rest of the wedding party, where she separated from him to say hello to the other bridesmaids. María was standing with Carla, Rae, Carla’s sister, and another woman she’d never seen before. As she approached, Carla hugged her and beamed. “You look so beautiful, Carla,” she said, admiring the short white dress she picked for tonight. 

Carla smiled even wider. “Thanks! Elena, this is my cousin, she’s my other bridesmaid. Nora.”

Nora walked over and held her hand out to her. “I’m so glad I finally get to meet you!” she smiled. “Carla has told me so much about you.”

She was shorter than Elena and had a beautiful smile. “I hope it’s all good things,” she laughed.

Nora laughed with her. Honestly, Elena felt a little self-conscious around her. She was absolutely beautiful. Dark hair, dark eyes, with beautiful, straight, white teeth. Her curves were in all the right places, and Elena knew she was the kind of girl that never had to work to keep them that way. She had legs for days that were perfect and slender. She subconsciously tugged on her dress to hide more of her thighs, suddenly aware of how short her dress was.

Frankie looked over at her, watching her confidence slowly collapse. He saw the beautiful woman she was talking to and knew exactly what was going through her mind. _Luna, you’re far more perfect than she will ever be._ He thought, wishing he could project his thoughts to her. He started to walk over, but Santi grabbed his arm. “Time to head inside,” he said.

Everyone moved to find their places inside the church. The girls lined up in the foyer of the church while the guys walked to their places. After the groomsmen were in place, David walked Gloria down the aisle before taking his spot next to Benny. Then, María was up first taking her time to walk down the aisle. She was followed by Nora, and then Elena. Frankie’s heart stopped when he saw her walking down the aisle, and he smiled at her. However, she was too busy doing the mental math when she realized she would be partnered with Will and Frankie would be with Nora. She felt a sharp stab of jealousy hit her in the chest. Will leaned over to Frankie and whispered, “I think she’s about to have an aneurysm.”

Frankie looked at him confused before looking back to Elena. He chuckled when he saw what Will was talking about. She was sending daggers into the back of Nora’s head, because she was going to be walking with her Sol. “Do you think I should say something to her?” he whispered back.

Will shook his head. “No. She’ll be fine.” He saw Elena look over at them, and he gave her a quick wink - which was rewarded with a scowl from her. “This is going to be much more fun if you let her stew.”

Frankie turned to look at him. “I can’t do that to her.”

“Sure you can,” he said, “besides, you need a date to the wedding. She’s got Liam. You’ve got whoever that is.”

The rest of the wedding procession followed her and everyone lined up. Elena directed all of her attention to what the priest was saying so she didn’t focus on the gorgeous woman that Frankie was going to be walking with. “After the vows and I pronounce the two of you as husband and wife,” the priest said, “turn for pictures before heading back up the aisle.”

David and Carla obliged and began walking up the aisle, followed by Benny and Ciara (Carla’s sister), Santi and Rae, Will and Elena, Frankie and Nora, and finally, Tom and María. Will patted Elena’s arm and laughed as she scowled. “Jealous much?” he whispered.

“Fuck you, Will.”

“We are in the _House of God._ Watch your language.”

“I hope he smites you right now.”

He laughed and bumped her with his shoulder. “You know he loves you too much to even look at her twice.”

“But you admit she’s beautiful.”

He nodded. “Oh, she is! Trust me, if Benny doesn’t get in my way, I’m taking her home tomorrow. But she has nothing on you, gorgeous.”

Elena rolled her eyes and gagged. “You’re repulsive.” They made it out of the doors, and she turned to see Frankie walking back up the aisle with Nora, whispering something in her ear making her giggle. Instantly, she felt her cheeks burn. She turned to find Gloria. “Keys, please,” she said.

Gloria grinned at her daughter and handed her the keys. Carla and David had everyone gather around before they let them leave. “Okay, our reservation for DeMarco’s is at 5. Just tell them you’re with the Gutierrez-Bohannon wedding, and they’ll let you in.”

She stormed off to her mother’s car to leave when she heard her name from behind her. Elena didn’t bother turning to look as she climbed into the car. Frankie ran after her as fast as he could and knocked on the window. She took a deep breath to calm herself before rolling it down. “I have to go get Liam,” she said, “what do you need?”

He was taken aback a little by her tone, but tried to maintain his smile. “I was wondering if we could talk before you left. I had something I wanted to get off my chest before dinner.”

She looked in Nora’s direction, who was standing next to Will and Benny. She was watching Frankie intently, with her eyes raking over his body. “I need to get Liam, otherwise I’ll be late. We can talk some other time,” she said.

He gazed at her, pleading for her to stay. “Luna…”

“It’s fine Frankie. I’ll see you at 5.” She threw the car in reverse as she backed down the drive and left to get Liam.

***

She parked the car at the restaurant and _almost_ turned around when she saw Nora getting out of Frankie’s - no her dad’s truck. Liam climbed out of the passenger side and came to help her get out of the car. She slowly stood and fixed her dress as he placed his hand on the small of her back. “Looks like he finally took the hint,” he whispered in her ear with a small chuckle and a nod at Frankie and Nora. 

She felt her face grow hot again as she watched him escort her into the restaurant. She knew that she had no right being this jealous, since she was with Liam. But she couldn’t help herself. Watching Frankie with another woman, twice as beautiful as she was, hurt more than anything. Elena took a deep breath as they followed them into the restaurant and back to the room Gloria and Antonio booked for the dinner. She pushed Liam to sit with her family as opposed to the rest of the wedding party, and Frankie took note. He was a little hurt that she chose to sit across the room away from them all. He found his seat next to Santi, which was perfect because he could see Elena from where he sat. “You definitely pushed _some_ button,” Santi said as he leaned over to him. 

Frankie looked between him and Rae, who were both laughing at him. “Don’t worry about it, Frankie,” Rae said.

Nora leaned over to them. “Is she mad about something?”

Rae chuckled and shook her head. Santi leaned over, “She’s pissed off that her date is a major asshole.”

Rae slapped Santi with the back of her hand, lightly on his chest. “Don’t mind him, Nora. He’s just protective of his sister.” 

Elena was happy to keep her back to them, because she didn’t want to watch Frankie with Nora all night. She held her glass of wine in her hand and swirled it around, looking deep into it. She had this inner struggle going on, and she couldn’t seem to quiet the voices arguing. Part of her wanted Frankie all to herself. She was leaving Liam, that decision had been made, and she had hoped that the end result would be her and Frankie together. However, she thought back on their past; especially the last few days. They’d hurt each other so much, whether it was intentional or not. _Maybe I should just let him go to start a new life with someone who won’t hurt him._ She thought. She took a deep breath and stole a glance at Liam. Whatever happened with her and Frankie, she just knew that she couldn’t stay with Liam. She needed to find someone that would love her the way she deserved. 

Liam looked down at her and smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder to pull her close. Frankie watched how stiff she looked in his arm, and instantly he felt the urge to storm over there and pull Liam away from her. He saw her stand up to leave, but Liam stopped her - grabbing the wrist. Santi noticed Frankie tensed up and scooted his chair back. “Easy there,” he whispered, “you can’t kill him here.”

Elena leaned down and kissed Liam before he let her go. She walked out of the room without a second glance back in. “Excuse me,” Frankie said to Nora, “I’ll be right back.”

“Oh,” she said, almost disappointed, “okay.”

Rae and the guys exchanged worried glances with each other, but Santi managed to keep them in their seats and calm - not breathing a word of where he was going. Frankie burst through the doors and saw her walk into the bathroom in the front of the restaurant. So, he waited just outside the door for her. She was only in there for a few minutes before the door cracked open. She walked out and stopped halfway when she saw Frankie. “Oh, Jesus,” she whispered as she turned to go back in.

He grabbed her hand. “Luna, wait,” he said.

“What do you want, Frankie?” she whined.

Frankie pulled her out of the door and led her to a secluded section of the waiting area to talk. He stood there staring at her, her face was not glowing anymore. It was stuck in a permanent scowl. “Are you going to talk, or can I go back in there so my date isn’t alone?”

He was taken aback by her demeanor towards him. “What the fuck has gotten into you in the last two hours?”

She glared at him. “Nothing that I can’t handle,” she said.

He huffed and crossed his arms across his chest. “I’m not leaving here until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Elena rolled her eyes and looked around at the patrons who were clearly listening to them. She wanted to tell him everything: she was leaving Liam, she wanted him to be happy, she was going to move on with her life. However, that was not a conversation she was willing to have in such a public place. “Look, Frankie, I’m just going through a lot right now.”

He held her hand in his. “Then tell me. Let me help you, mi Luna.”

She smiled weakly at him and placed a hand on his face. “I wish I could, but this is something I need to do without you.”

He held her in place. “I know you’re upset with me,” he said, “you only try to avoid me when you’re pissed.”

She refused to meet his gaze as she looked at a couple sitting next to where they were standing. “So, that’s something I need to deal with. Let me go.”

“It’s because I brought Nora with me, isn’t it?” he smiled.

The woman next to them gasped, drawing more attention in their direction. “No, _Frankie_ , I’m not mad you brought a date. I’m pissed, because she was in _his_ truck.”

“What? Was I supposed to make her walk here?”

Elena crossed her arms. “Yes.”

Frankie shook his head and laughed in disbelief. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“Me!” She huffed. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“No, I’m not.” He was feeling his own pent up emotions starting to boil over. “You aren’t going to leave Liam. You’ve made that clear when you ran after him even _after_ he hurt you. But you still manage to keep stringing me along, coming back out to the engagement part, curling up next to me like nothing happened. What the fuck are we even doing here, _Luna_?”

“I don’t know, _Frankie_ , why don’t you answer the question for me. Because you can’t just go down on me on the dock one minute and turn around and get cozy with one of the bridesmaids the next.”

The woman next to them gasped again and let out a soft, “oh shit,” under her breath.

“Are you enjoying the show?” Elena snapped at her.

Frankie forced her to look at him again. “I knew you were pissed I brought Nora as my date.”

“Please,” she objected, “that would make me a hypocrite.”

“Yeah,” he added, “it would.”

She glared at him and saw a small light forming behind his eyes. He was enjoying this. “Are you _using_ her to get back at me?”

The smile faded. “What?”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise at him. “Wow! At least I’m with Liam, because I actually _thought_ I was in love with him. You’re no better than Liam,” She nodded and backed away from him. “I hope the two of you have a _great_ night tonight, asshole.”

She started walking back to the dining room. “Luna, wait!”

Elena turned on her heel and glared at him, shouting across the waiting room. “Don’t you fucking call me Luna, Frankie. You lost that right.” He watched her reach into her purse and pull a tattered envelope out and throw it on the ground. “Fuck you.”

She stormed back into the party with her usual facade put on, leaving Frankie a stunned mess in the front of the restaurant. The woman who had been actively listening to them reached down and handed him the envelope she threw at him. He opened it and saw that it was his letter he wrote her ten years ago. “She kept it,” he whispered.

Rae walked out into the foyer a few minutes later and approached Frankie. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Are you Nora?” the woman asked. Her husband lightly elbowed her. “What? I’m invested!”

Rae gave her a weird look and shook her head before turning back to Frankie. She saw the letter in his hands and she gasped. “Is that your letter?”

He nodded. “I can’t believe she kept it after all this time.” He held it up for her to see. “Rae, why did she keep it?”

She sighed. “You know why.” Rae watched him slowly unfold it and look at the letter. He could see clear spots where tears fell and dried on the paper. “Frankie, you have every right to have some fun with Nora this weekend. But, I think I should explain why Elena is pissed.”

“She’s pissed because she’s getting a taste of her own medicine,” he said, glaring past her, almost as if he could see her sitting in there with Liam, his arm wrapped tight around her.

Rae shook her head. “No,” she said, “it’s because she was up at 3:00 AM with Will and Benny seriously contemplating uprooting her entire life for you.”

He froze, feeling his knees buckle a little and the breath getting knocked out of him. “She…she what?”

“That’s why she’s pissed.” She took a deep breath. “And I can almost put money down that she’s mad at herself that she’s waited so long, but now she sees you feigning happiness with this other girl. She thinks she’s going to get in your way of living your life. You cannot tell her I told you, Frankie.”

“You fucked up, son” the woman next to him said.

He looked down at her and glared. “I know that,” he seethed. Frankie turned his attention back to Rae. “What do I do?”

She sighed. “Let her have her space. If you go in there trying to fix it, you’ll just push her farther away from you. Better yet, you need to walk in as if nothing happened. Mainly, because Carla and David don’t need to know there’s unrest.”

He felt a tear slide down his cheek. “Rae,” he said, “I can’t lose her again.”

She nodded. “Tonight, I’ll talk to her when we get to Carla’s.”

He moved a step closer to her. “What if she changes her mind?”

Rae shrugged. “I wish I could tell you she won’t, but your Luna is a stubborn one.”

His heart instantly shattered, remembering what she said to him. “She told me never to call her that again,” his voice cracked.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the letter in Frankie’s hand and then gazed back up at him. “Oh shit,” she replied. Rae couldn’t think of anything else to say to him. She also knew there was a good chance Elena was past the point of listening to her. She was going to start shutting down and closing everyone out. Instead she wrapped him in a hug, before motioning him to go back into the dinner. She made her way to the bathroom to give him time to find a seat before she rejoined them.

Santiago watched Frankie take a tattered envelope and fold in, placing it in his wallet. “What was that?”

He gazed at him. “My letter.”

Pope’s eyes grew wide. “Like, _the_ letter?”

He nodded and took a drink of his beer. Will looked over at Pope who shook his head, mouthing to him “it’s not good.”

“Fuck,” he mouthed back.

Nora looked between the two of them and fidgeted in her seat. “Is everything okay, Frankie?” she whispered to him, resting her hand on his.

He looked down at her hand and gave it a light squeeze. “Yeah,” he said, trying to smile, “It’s just been a long week.”

She returned his smile and left her hand in his. Benny nudged Will, who just shrugged. The group of them looked at Frankie and Nora, horrified. They each took a peek over at Elena and Liam, and her chair was moved closer to his with his arm thrown over the back of hers. Occasionally she’d laugh at something, tossing her head back and leaning into Liam for support. Sometimes he’d kiss the top of her head or lean in to whisper something to her. Frankie wasn’t oblivious to it, and would tense up each time Liam moved too close to her. When dessert was being served, they watched as Liam tried to feed her a piece of his, but she declined. After his third try, he grabbed her chin to force her to look at him, and Frankie had had enough. He slammed his napkin on the table and started to stand up. “Fuck,” Santiago said. “Frankie, let’s step outside.”

No one noticed a murderous Frankie as they slid out of the side door to the patio. Will followed. “You need to calm the fuck down,” Santiago said.

Frankie turned on Will. “This is all your fault,” he said, “if you didn’t encourage me to use that poor girl in there to make her jealous, she wouldn’t hate my guts.”

Will tried to argue, but he felt guilty for pushing Nora onto Frankie. “I’m sorry, man.”

“And why didn’t you tell me what she said to you this morning?”

He dropped his head and shook it. “Because she wanted to tell you, Fish. And it looks like I made the mistake of telling Rae.”

Frankie sat in one of the chairs outside. “I have to make this right.”

“How?”

“Tonight,” he added, “I shouldn’t go tonight, because Liam and I will kill each other.”

Santiago shook his head. “You’re a groomsman, you need to be there.”

“I’ll talk to David. I know he’ll understand, but I have to make this right tonight.”

Will smiled at him. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, for starters, I’m getting the usual: Two Cokes in a glass bottle and _Casablanca_.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie finally tells Elena everything he couldn't in the past in an last effort to win her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALL THE SMUT. FINALLY!

_“During the summer he would stay a little longer just in case she would change his mind.”_

Rae was sitting on Carla’s couch sipping on her margarita patiently listening to Nora talk about Frankie. María and Carla, much to her annoyance, were humoring her while Ciara was completely enamored and supportive. She was so ecstatic to finally find someone that really listened and understood her. “After the rehearsal at the church, I asked him if he wouldn’t mind giving me a lift to the restaurant, since I wasn’t sure where I was going,” she winked, “one of the other groomsmen offered to take me, but there’s just something so sexy about Frankie.”

“So where did you guys go while you waited for the rehearsal dinner?” Carla asked, looking apologetically over at Rae.

“Well,” she sighed, “he took me to his favorite spot in San Antonio, where we sat and talked for about an hour before making our way to the restaurant. He kept talking about the moon for some reason.”

Rae’s eyes grew wide as she took an even bigger sip of her drink, avoiding everyone’s gaze. She heard a car door slam shut and prayed Nora would be done talking about him before she came in. Elena walked in with a feigned smile on as she heard Nora’s last statement: “I’m hoping tomorrow after the wedding, I’m not going home without Frankie.”

María almost spit out her lemonade as she, Rae, and Carla shared worried expressions. Nora looked around at each of them and noticed the awkward silence in the room as they all stared at Elena. “I’m sorry,” she said, “am I missing something?”

“Elena…” Rae started, but then opted to not say anything, pursing her lips with a shake of her head.

Carla cleared her throat and tried to awkwardly explain, “Elena and Frankie…umm…”

Nora’s eyes grew wide and she looked up at her. “Oh, I had no idea. I thought you were with that other guy, Liam I think his name was. I’m so sorry!”

Elena laughed and sat down next to her. “I am,” she smiled, almost too wide, “Frankie and I are not a thing; we have _never_ been a thing; and we never will be. We just grew up together, and your sister and our friends here don’t know how to _mind their own business_.”

She looked at Elena, wanting to believe her. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “If you’re looking for my blessing, you have it.”

Rae, Carla, and María exchanged more worried glances as she got comfortable on the ground. Elena ignored their gazes and grabbed a margarita that had been waiting for her. “I’d like to propose a toast.”

Everyone raised their glasses. 

“To Carla. This is her last night as a free woman, and then she’s stuck with my brother for the rest of her life.”

“Are you trying to scare her off?” María laughed. 

Carla laughed with her as they all took a drink. “I’ve seen enough the last several years, that has yet to scare me off.”

Ciara jumped up. “I think the masks are ready,” she said, “Nora, I’ll need some help.”

They waited until the two of them were gone before Carla, María, and Rae turned to her. “The two of you aren’t a _thing_ ,” Carla said with a half laugh.

Elena shook her head. “No. If he’s going to use Nora to get back at me for being in a _committed_ relationship, I’m not going to play along. I’m not doing this. He can go fuck himself.”

“‘Lena, you haven’t necessarily been fair to him this week either,” Rae said.

“So, we’re obviously not good for each other,” she said, taking another sip of her drink.

“Aye, hermanita, you are so stubborn sometimes. You two are perfect for one another, and I’m sick of _both_ of you making excuses,” María said.

Rae smiled at her and raised her glass. Elena rolled her eyes. “We are here to celebrate Carla and David, not discuss my love life,” she said.

Carla laughed and took a drink from her margarita. “Okay, but I’ve been so invested in the two of you, so I’m okay with this being the topic of discussion right now.”

Ciara and Nora returned with cucumbers and homemade face masks. “Since we already had the official bachelorette party last month,” she said, “Carla said she just wanted to relax tonight. So, I’ve got margaritas, face masks, and her favorite movie, _Pretty in Pink._ ”

Nora sat down next to Elena while Ciara started painting the face mask on Carla. “So, what can you tell me about Frankie?”

Rae looked over at María. “Shit,” she mouthed.

“Nora,” María said, “let’s focus on Carla tonight.” She offered her a nice smile.

Nora looked at her confused. “I didn’t mean anything…”

The doorbell rang. Rae stood up with her drink in her hand. “I’ll get it.”

She walked to the front and looked through the peephole, smiling when she saw the one person she was counting on showing up.

“You better not have ordered strippers!” Carla shouted from the living room.

“I didn’t,” she shouted, opening the door. Frankie walked in looking at her helpless. He was holding two Cokes and a DVD in his hand. “Is that _Casablanca_?”

“What else would it be?” He smiled. “Is she still pissed?”

“I honestly have no idea. She’s weirdly happy. It’s kind of terrifying, if I’m being honest. She’s in the living room.”

He slowly walked past her and into the living room where they were all sitting, laughing on the floor. Nora saw him first and beamed, “Frankie!” she exclaimed.

He smiled and nodded at her, but kept his eyes trained on Elena, who refused to look at him. “Luna…” he whispered.

“I told you not to call me that anymore,” she said, taking another drink of her marg. She kept her eyes forward, not looking at him.

“Please, Luna,” he begged.

Rae walked over and pulled her up by her arm. “You are going to go listen to this poor man if I have to force you myself,” she said in a not so soft whisper.

“Fine!” She stormed out of the house past Frankie and out the front door. 

He grinned at all of them and tipped his hat. “Ladies.”

Carla looked at Ciara. “Pause the movie. We’re going to the window.”

She was leaning against her car waiting for Frankie to come out behind her. Her heart was racing fast as she anticipated what she was going to say to him. He slowly approached her with the gifts he’d brought with him. “Luna,” he started.

“Frankie, I said…”

He sighed. “I know what you said, but you’re still mi Luna.”

She shook her head. “We can’t keep up these nicknames if we’re going to move on with our lives,” she said, “and I recognize that we’ve missed our chance to be together. At this point, I just want to see you happy.”

“What a load of bullshit,” he replied, “You’re just doing to me what I did to you ten years ago.” He handed her the envelope back to her. “Why did you keep this?”

She slowly took it from his hands and looked up at him. “You know why,” she said so softly that he almost didn’t hear her.

“Explain it to me.”

Elena held the letter in her hand and lightly ran her finger over it. “Because it made everything real. Every stolen glance, careful touch, ‘I love you’ we shared over the course of our entire lives was suddenly real. I kept this letter to remember you. There never was someone else for me either, Frankie, and every time I read that letter, something told me you were just as miserable as I was without you.”

Frankie moved closer to her, placing the Cokes and DVD on the roof behind her. “Luna, if I could, I would go back and stop myself from leaving you. I would ask you to wait for me, to write to me everyday. I would, because I’m that selfish when it comes to us.”

“Frankie…”

He placed his hand on her arm. “Please, just let me finish.” He took a deep breath. “I wanted you more than I have ever wanted anything in the world, and letting you go killed me. Yeah, I did die so you could breathe, but I never recovered. I was lost, so lost without mi Luna. I don’t care how many girls Pope tried to set me up with, they were never _you_. Any time I was with them, I could only see your face. There was never that connection that we had, and I knew there would never be another. Fuck, they knew my head and heart were always somewhere else.”

Elena looked up at him with tears in her eyes, but she stayed silent as she listened. Her heart raced and she felt butterflies in her stomach as he continued:

“I stayed away for so long because I knew you moved on, and I couldn’t face how big of a fucking moron I was to ever let you go. I didn’t want to ruin your happiness. But now? You’re not happy, Luna. You think he’s what you deserve for some reason. He doesn’t even love you. You’re just his trophy he can parade around and make jokes about when he tells his friends how he nabbed the most amazing girl from his school that his ex-best friend never could land. Don’t you see it? You’re his property, not his partner.” He gazed at her, tears streaming down her face. “You’re my soulmate, Luna. And you know I don’t believe in that shit. Or, at least I didn’t until I realized how my soul ached the day I left; the day I realized I cannot live a life without you in it.”

She stood silent, smiling at him through her tears. “Luna,” he said, resting his hands on either side of her face, “‘I can’t fight it anymore. I ran away from you once. I can’t do it again. I don’t know what’s right any longer. You have to think for both of us. For all of us. I wish I didn’t love you so much.’”

Elena laughed. “You think quoting _Casablanca_ will make it all better?”

He smiled and closed the gap between them. “Honestly? Yes.”

She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Then, ‘kiss me as if it were the last time.’”

He didn’t give her command a second thought as he pinned her against the side of the car and kissed her with such passion and fervor. His hands wrapped around her as he pulled her closer to him. He softly moaned into her kiss as her hands moved into his hair. She opened her mouth for him to deepen his kiss, which he hungrily did. They heard a gasp come from the window, causing them to separate, and they saw Carla and Rae watching them. María then shouted, “Leave them alone, you two!”

Elena laughed and placed a hand on his chest. “Hold on,” she said between breaths. She walked to the door but Carla ripped it open first.

“If you don’t leave with him _right now_ , I swear I will kick you out of the wedding,” she barked.

“Carla…” Elena started to argue.

“‘Lena,” Rae said, “Please go.” Elena looked back at Frankie, who sheepishly smiled at them and leaned against the car. “You need to do this. Now.”

“Just make sure you’re here at 9:00 AM, sharp,” Carla said, devilishly grinning at her.

Elena turned and headed back to Frankie. “Catfish,” Rae said, “hurt her, and you’ll have to deal with more than just me.”

He shook his head and flipped her off before leading her to his truck. Elena slid all the way into the middle seat as she waited for him to join her. He hopped in and wrapped his arm around her as they drove back down the street. Rae ran outside and grabbed the Cokes and _Casablanca_ off the car roof. “I guess they won’t be needing these,” she laughed, tossing one to Carla.

Carla grabbed the movie and looked at the back. “I’ve never actually seen this movie,” she laughed.

“Me either,” Rae said as she followed her back in, “it was ‘their movie,’ so we never watched it with them.”

María saw the movie in question. “Oh God that damn movie. Our dad introduced them to it. It was his favorite.”

Nora looked between them and realized Elena and Frankie had left. She had put it together when he called her _Luna_ , that she was the moon he talked about with such passion. She shrunk in a little, but shrugged it off. She knew he wasn’t that into her. She could tell by the way he watched Elena and attended to her. Nora saw the way their group looked at them, worried. All the signs were there, she just chose to ignore them. 

Carla tossed the DVD to Ciara. “Put this on. Let’s see why they love it so much.”

***

They pulled up to the guest house and sat in the truck for a minute. She fidgeted with the hem of her shorts, causing him to grab her hands in his. He ran his thumb on the inner part of her leg, which caused her to melt all over again. She looked up at him and smiled. “I guess this means we should go inside and talk.”

His breathing picked up pace as he opened the door and helped her out. Elena picked up his hand and placed a soft kiss to his palm. “Mi Sol,” she said.

“Mi Luna,” he breathed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and played with the curls at the base of his neck, sending more chills down his back. “Before we go inside,” she said, “I want you to know that I love you, but tomorrow I will have to pretend like I don’t.”

He looked down at her, confused. “Liam?”

Elena nodded. “Yes. I don’t want to cause any more drama for this wedding. I’m not telling him until Sunday.”

Frankie wanted to be angry, tell her she was being selfish, but he understood. He waited this long to have her, what was one more day? He held her close to him and rested his chin on her head. “If he touches you,” he said, “I don’t care if we’re at the wedding. I’ll kill him where he stands.” 

She smiled at him and kissed his lips gently. “I know, mi Sol.” She kissed him again. “Now, take me inside and finish what you started on that dock.”

He couldn’t help but let a huge smile escape from his lips as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her over and over again. Frankie’s hands traveled down her back until he was able to lift her up so she could wrap her legs around him. She laughed into his kiss as she gracefully placed her legs on him. Almost effortlessly, he carried her up the porch stairs, pushing her against the door. She used one hand to grope behind her, searching for the doorknob. She found it, and he kicked it open as soon as it was turned. They both fumbled to try and close the door, their lips never leaving the other. He held her against the wall of the foyer and moved down her jaw. She let out a short gasp and opened her eyes when she felt him nipping at the most sensitive bit of skin at the base of her neck. “Mi Sol,” she said giggling, “we need to make it upstairs at least.”

Frankie buried his face into her neck, placing a soft kiss there before pulling away. Her legs were still wrapped around him as he made his way to the stairs. She looked at them and back at him with an eyebrow raised. “You think you’ve got the stamina to carry me all the way up those stairs?”

He gave her a devilish smile that she’d never seen from him before that she found so completely titillating that her legs were starting to grow weak. “Stamina is one thing I _don’t_ need to worry about,” he said in a low, husky voice.

She grinned at him as he started climbing the stairs with his arms wrapped around her, keeping her firmly pressed against his body. When he reached the top stair, she kissed him deeply. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she moaned. Frankie took them into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He gently laid her back on the bed, finally letting his hands explore her body like he craved. He found the hem of her shirt, sliding his hand under it. She arched her back into him, his soft touch setting her nerves on fire. He lifted off her long enough to help her remove her shirt, and she his. Her hands immediately flew to his shoulders, trying to commit the feel of his body to memory. She could feel his every moment, every muscle and tendon ripple through his back as he moved against her. “Frankie,” she breathed as he kissed her neck, sliding her bra strap just off her shoulder so he could kiss there. 

He stopped and looked into her eyes. His eyes were gazing at her hungrily, dilated to the point that his beautiful, chocolate brown irises were almost gone. “We aren’t leaving here until every inch of you has been cherished,” he said in that same husky voice that turned her on. 

His hands reached under her and easily undid the clasp on her bra, which she happily tossed across the room. Frankie let his hands rest on her ribs, his thumb grazing the sides of her breasts. Slowly, his left hand moved in, cupping and massaging her. She let out a strained groan as he continued, until he silenced her with his mouth. His hand made its way to her waistband and with a flick of his wrist, the button on her shorts was undone. He stopped for a second, looking at her for permission. “Please,” she said.

He smiled at her and kissed her deeply as his hand slipped in, feeling her warmth wet core underneath. He’d longed for nothing more than to touch her since that day at the dock, and now, he would make up for the years of neglect she’d faced. She let out a loud cry at the instant contact as he ran his fingers slowly up and down between her folds. Elena bit her bottom lip to try and stifle it, but he leaned down to kiss her again. He pulled away. “Let me hear you,” he whispered against her lips.

“More,” she begged.

He smiled at her, and hooked his fingers around her shorts to pull them completely off her. Frankie stood for a minute to look at the beautiful woman situated beneath him. His breathing stopped when he looked at her. “Mi Luna,” he murmured, at a loss for words.

She blushed at him and placed her hand over her face to hide her embarrassment. “Stop, Frankie,” she laughed.

He grabbed her hand and placed it on his cheek, turning to kiss it. “I can’t help it,” he beamed at her. “You’re…” he paused. “There are no words to describe just how incredibly,” he kissed her wrist, “remarkably,” he kissed the crook of her arm, “and amazingly beautiful you are.” He kissed her deeply.

She felt a tear fall down her face. She’d never felt so loved, so desired before. Frankie slowly sank to his knees at the edge of the bed, gently pulling her toward him. He tossed her legs around his shoulders and moved in without warning. She cried out, reaching for his hair, running her nails over his scalp. He hummed against her as he ran his tongue over her slowly. He looked up at her and grinned. She arched her back and curled her toes against his back. Her hips were grinding against him, as he did things to her with his mouth that she never thought were possible. “Frankie,” she breathed.

He rubbed his thumbs over her clit as he delved deeper into her. “Oh God,” she moaned. She bit her bottom lip as she held a tight grip on the comforter, balling mounds of fabric into her fists. He licked his fingers and slowly inserted them in her while his mouth moved to where his thumbs were. She started writing under him, and he placed a hand on her lower abdomen to keep her in place. “Mi Sol…”

He could tell she was close, and so he curled his fingers inside her as he ran them down her. She cried out his name as her back arched even more. He swirled his tongue around her as he let her ride out her orgasm. As she slowly came down, he cleaned his fingers off with his mouth before moving up her body, peppering more kisses on her. He spent some time at each of her breasts, toying with them until they were sore from overstimulation. 

They moved up the bed until she comfortably rested on the pillows while he rested on his forearms above her. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms and legs around him, forcing them to roll over while she straddled him. He rested his hands on her hips and gazed up at her. “And I thought you couldn’t be more beautiful,” he said.

Her hair fell around her face, hiding her blushing cheeks as she leaned down to kiss him. She could feel through the material of his slacks how much he wanted her. She moved her hips, grinding against him. She drew out a deep groan from him as he threw his head back against the pillows. She reached down and undid his belt, sliding it off him in one quick motion. “My turn,” she smiled, licking her lips. She stood up and pulled his pants off him, looking down at the man she’d loved for her entire life. He was the picture of perfection, and she ravenously skimmed her eyes over his body, realizing stamina and one other surprise were two things he should be _very_ proud of.

She saw him blush at her, the same way she did when he gazed at her. She ran her hands up his thighs, sending chills throughout him. Her hands lightly danced over the one place he ached for her to touch him, but he knew the moment she did, it would be all over for him. He instantly sat up and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his lap. He kissed her again, more passionately than before, running his hands over her bare flesh. She could feel his breathing become uneven as he felt himself rub against her. “Are you nervous?” she asked.

He avoided her eyes and grinned. “A little.”

“Me too, but at least I get to be with _you_.”

He kissed her deeply again, letting his nerves go as he finally appreciated the moment. He had the one woman he’d ever truly loved, wanted, _needed_ with him, at last. “I need you,” she murmured.

Frankie’s heart stopped and he gazed at her. “What?”

She ran her hands over his cheeks and looked deep into his eyes. “I need you, Frankie.”

He reached between them, and guided himself into her, thrusting up as gently as he could, feeling her walls stretch and mold around him. She let out a strained sob and he froze. “Did I hurt you, Luna?”

Elena smiled at him, running her hands through his hair. “Not in a bad way,” she laughed, “you’re just a lot more than I was expecting.”

That brought out a laugh in him as his chest swelled with pride. She kissed him and slowly moved her hips against him, bringing a new, guttural sound out of him she’d never heard before - but planned on bringing out again. “Luna,” he said in a breathless whisper.

“Sol,” she said, moving against him again.

“You…” his breathing was picking up pace, “You feel so….” he thrust into her as she continued to grind her hips on him. “God you feel amazing.”

He rolled her over, taking control of their movements letting out a sharp hiss as he pressed into her until there was nothing left of him. He wrapped one arm around her, angling her body so he could thrust deeper. He thrust and ground his hips against her, and with every moan and whimper that escaped her lips, every word of praise she screamed, he moved with more passion and hunger. 

She reached up and grabbed his face, staring into his eyes. She knew she was getting close and that he’d be right with her. Elena wanted to see him when they finally had their first orgasm together. He understood what she wanted and smiled at her. She felt him move his hand between them to apply more friction and pressure to her. She started clenching around him, her body started shaking, and she was becoming a mixture of hot and cold. The entire time, as her toes curled, she kept her eyes on him. She let out a final cry, her body tensing around him as she came. He continued to thrust and move at much more rapid pace, and she came again, tears falling down her cheeks. It took only two more thrusts and he came undone inside her. 

He moved once more before settling on his forearms on her, remaining inside of her for as long as he could. She wrapped her weak legs around him, pulling him deeper and breathlessly kissing him. His heart swelled from the intimate connection they were sharing in this moment, with him buried inside of her. “I love you, mi Sol,” she whispered, running her hands down the side of his face.

He gazed down at her, happier than he’d ever been. “I love you more than you’ll ever know, mi Luna.”

Frankie pulled himself out of her and rolled off the bed. She leaned back against the pillows and gazed up at the ceiling, finally feeling whole and happy again. She heard him walk out of the bathroom and kneel over her. The warm washcloth surprised her as she felt his gentle hands cleaning her. She closed her eyes and smiled at his touch. He placed the cloth on the sink before climbing back into the bed with her, pulling her close to his chest. Elena rested her hand just over his heart, and she could feel it beating in time with hers. She looked up at him and kissed his jaw line. “Mi Sol?” she whispered.

“Hm?”

“If I were to ask you what your future looked like…”

“That’s simple,” he replied, holding her tighter, “it’s you.”

She felt her heart flutter. “What else?”

He took a deep breath and pondered for a minute. Not that he really needed to, because this was something he pictured every day. “Well, for starters, we’d fix up my grandparents’ farm house. We’d live there with cows, chickens, horses - the whole lot of ‘em. There’s plenty of room there for all the animals and gardens you could want and for our kids to run around.” He sighed, running his thumb up and down her arm. “And maybe, once they’ve fallen asleep, we can sneak out like we were young and lay on the dock. Just the two of us, staring up at the stars like we used to, holding each other until the sun peeked over the horizon and it was time to go back inside.”

Elena leaned up and looked at him, tears falling down her face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.

She grabbed his face and kissed him until there was no breath left in her body, and then she kissed him even more. “Nothing,” she smiled, “I just didn’t know I could love you more than I already do.”

He moved her hair out of her face and cupped her chin in his hand. “Luna, I’ve pictured that life for us since the day you left for college.”

Elena searched for the words to tell him that was the same life she’d imagined for herself, with Frankie as the one she shared it with, but instead she kissed him again before resting her head on his chest. He continued to run his thumb up and down her arm, soothing her even more. They laid there in silence for several minutes before she noticed his breathing pattern changed. “Hey,” she whispered.

Frankie cracked one eye open and smiled at her. “What?”

“I thought you said Stamina wasn’t one thing you needed to worry about.”

He laughed at her and shook his head, rolling over so he pinned her to the bed with a devilish, hungry look in his eyes; eager to please her with round two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not condone cheating, and am well aware that Elena just cheated on her piece of shit boyfriend. Cheating isn't cool, you guys.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the morning after, and Frankie and Elena try to hide what exactly happened. Nora confronts both of them about their actions while the group celebrates David and Carla’s marriage and Frankie and Elena FINALLY hooking up.

_"‘Don’t you dare abandon your blessing of light for my darkness.’ And those were the last words the Moon was strong enough to speak to the Sun.”_

Sunlight was peeking through the crack in the curtains on the bedroom windows and danced across the floor, illuminating the clothes that had been carelessly tossed in every direction the night before. Elena’s eyes fluttered open, and she instantly closed them, remembering where she was and who she was with. If she woke up, then their night together would officially be over. She felt his arms tighten around her, pulling her closer to him as he nuzzled his face into her hair and neck. Frankie was enamored with her in his arms, absorbing everything he could. He planted kisses along the base of her neck and across her shoulders. She smiled and turned around to be on her back so she could see him. He leaned over her and gave her a deep, ravenous kiss as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her into his body. She let her hands travel down his back, until she cupped him and gave him a light squeeze, drawing out a laugh from him. “Good morning, mi amor,” he said, rolling the “r’s” just enough to tease her.

She wrapped a leg around him to pull him down on her. “Good morning, mi corazon,” she smiled, kissing him again.

He looked over at the clock on the nightstand. “It’s 7:30,” he said, “and we _both_ have to get ready for this wedding.”

Elena grinned at him. “I don’t have to be back at Carla’s until 9:00.”

“If we stay here any longer, I will make sure that you’re late,” he growled.

“I’m sure Carla will understand.” She let her hands travel down the front of him, until she found evidence that he was just as willing to stay there all day as she was. “Oh?”

“Estas jugando con fuego, mi Luna.” He smiled at her, kissing her again. 

She dropped her hands and rolled out of bed from under him. “I guess you’re right,” she said, stiffly flaunting herself across the room, “I’ll be in the _shower_ if you need me.”

His eyes hungrily watched her seductively move her hips away from him as she disappeared into the bathroom. Frankie heard the shower start and the door open and close. He rolled out of bed and walked into the shower with her. “I knew you couldn’t resist,” she laughed, looking up at him.

He watched the water roll down her body as he craned his head down to kiss her. “Te quiero, mi Luna,” he said, holding her face in his hands. 

“Te amo, mi Sol,” she smiled, kissing him again.

***

They both slipped on the clothes they had on the night before, but not after much teasing between the two of them. As she opened the bedroom door, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Luna,” his voice cracked a little. He didn’t want to address what she said last night, what had been rolling around in his head since they fell asleep in each other’s arms, but they needed to talk about it before they left. “Today…”

She placed a hand on his cheek. “I know, mi Sol,” she said, “after tomorrow, I’m all yours.”

He rested his forehead against hers and sighed. “Can I ask one thing of you today?” he whispered.

“Anything,” she smiled.

“The last dance.” He took a deep breath and swayed with her, spinning her out until she was wrapped back in his arms.

“It’s yours,” she replied. Her phone rang, and they both cursed the high pitched dinging of her phone ruining the moment. “Rae, I’m on my way.”

“Thank god, because Liam is on his way back to the house, now,” she stressed.

“Fuck. Okay, I’m on my way.” 

And just like that, their seemingly endless bliss had ended. She led them down the stairs, at a somewhat slow pace, and he couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t until she rigidly climbed into his truck did he laugh at her. “Rough night?” he smiled.

She glared at him. “Don’t let it go to your head, there, _Catfish_ , I saw you taking your time picking up the clothes off the floor. You had just as good of a time as me.” She leaned over and kissed him. “If I do recall, you got a cramp in your leg while you slept.” She added extra emphasis on the last syllable and smiled at him as she watched his cheeks burn bright red and he turned the truck on. 

“Just be grateful I could go that many rounds,” he smiled as he put the truck in drive.

She moved to the center of the seat and rested against him, chuckling to herself. She closed her eyes as she felt his arm wrap around her and hold her tight. Frankie was almost certain his heart was going to burst wide open at the memory of everything that had happened in the last twelve hours. She was more amazing than he had ever dreamed of, and he never wanted to let her go. He knew that today, watching her with Liam, was going to kill him. But he had to tell himself to be patient. After tomorrow, she was going to be with him, for however long she wanted to be. He put the truck in park when he reached Carla’s, but he was so hesitant to wake her from her nap. He laughed a little, knowing they’d both worn each other out from last night, and he intended on doing the same things again when he saw her again Sunday. He lightly kissed her head to wake her. “We’re already here?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” he smiled.

She reached up and kissed him more passionately than before. “I love you,” she said.

He rubbed his nose against her’s and smiled. “I love you too, mi Luna.”

Slowly, she slid out of the truck and looked back at him. Rae was waiting at the door for her, impatiently tapping her foot, but Elena needed one last goodbye. She ran around the other side of his truck and waited for Frankie to roll his window down. “What is it?”

“I just wanted to kiss you, again,” she said. 

He smiled and got out of the truck to wrap his arms around her and give her exactly what she wanted. He kissed her, toying with her bottom lip until she opened her mouth for an even deeper embrace. When they were both sufficiently out of breath, he let her go. “I better leave before Rae and Carla kill both of us,” he laughed.

“I’ll see you soon,” she smiled. Elena watched him back down the driveway and head off to Santiago’s house to get ready for the wedding.

She slowly made her way over to a squealing Rae and ecstatic Carla. “Soooo….” Rae said, with the biggest grin on her face.

“So, what?” Elena said, tossing her hair over her shoulder and pushing past both of them.

“Someone looks a little sore this morning, is all I’m saying.”

“Yeah?”

“Elena,” Carla begged, “we deserve details.”

She rolled her eyes and grabbed the garment bag with her name on it. “Carla, don’t we have to get ready for _your_ wedding?”

“You can talk _while_ we change,” Rae said, leading her into the master bedroom. Carla’s mother was in the kitchen with her aunt doing Ciara and Nora’s hair, leaving Rae, Carla, Elena, and now María in the master to get ready.

“Fine,” Elena said, “we went back to the guest house and talked about what we thought our future together would look like.”

Rae looked at her, unimpressed. “That’s a _terrible_ euphemism.”

Elena blushed as she stripped out of her clothes and stepped into her bridesmaid’s dress. “Well, we did a little more than talk,” she coyly added.

“No shit,” María chimed.

She took a deep breath and sighed. “Look, the minute we parked the truck outside the guest house, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I’m surprised we even made it up the stairs, if I’m being honest.”

The three of them squealed and grinned. “How was it?” Carla asked.

Elena tried to hide her gigantic smile and even redder cheeks from them, but it was no use. “Frankie is full of a lot of surprises. I think we got _maybe_ three hours of sleep.”

“That good?” Rae smiled.

She bit her bottom lip to stop from grinning. “Mind blowing.”

***

Frankie hesitated getting out of the truck when he pulled into Santi’s driveway. He just knew the kind of attention he was going to get once he walked in, and he was already embarrassed. He took several deep breaths before hopping out of the truck and walking into the house. The five of them were waiting with bated breaths on the stairwell as he opened the door. He froze and looked up at them. “Seriously?” he asked, looking between them. His gaze stopped on David. “You too?”

He shrugged. “Look, after Santi told me that Liam was going to propose to her after the wedding, I was suddenly way more invested in the two of you than I ever was.”

Santiago smiled at Frankie and raised his eyebrow. “So, how did it go?”

Frankie tried to remain calm and cool. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “Alright, I guess. We talked, and she said she’s going to tell Liam she can’t do this anymore tomorrow.”

He frowned and nodded his head. “So you just talked. You were gone for fourteen hours and you just _talked_.”

“As far as any of you need to know, yes.”

“What the fuck could the two of you have talked about for fourteen hours?” Benny asked.

Will and Santiago both crossed their arms simultaneously and glared at him. Santi slowly approached Frankie, who straightened his posture and met him at eye level as Pope gave him a scrutinizing gaze. “I see the faintest mark right here,” he said, jabbing at the base of his neck and shoulder hard, “looks like a bite? Maybe a hickey, because you’re now thirteen?”

Frankie tugged on his shirt to hide it more and shrugged. “Thanks, _dad_ , but that’s a bruise from….”

“You two fucked, just admit it,” Pope said.

The blush on his cheeks quickly returned as the rest of the guys cheered. “A few times, yeah.”

Will’s eyes grew wide. “A _few_. My man!” He slapped his shoulder. “It’s about fucking time.”

Santiago laughed. “No joke,” he said.

Frankie tried to push past them on the stairs, but Benny stopped them. “I feel obligated to play our parts now,” he said.

He looked at Benny confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, for the last ten years, while you hid from and avoided her, we got to know and love her. So, I’d say she’s practically our sister.”

He rolled his eyes. “Here we go,” he mumbled, “you can’t be serious.”

Tom stood behind Benny. “We are. You’ve hurt her before,” he said, “so we’re just warning you if you try to again.”

Will slung his arm around Frankie’s shoulder. “Just like Liam. We’ll put you in the ground with him.”

“You all know that’s _not_ going to happen. I’m not going to let her get away, ever again.”

Santiago separated Frankie and Benny. “In all honesty, David and I, out of _everyone_ here know that you’ll be the last person to ever hurt your Luna. But we will also be the first two to come to her defense if you fuck up again.”

Frankie shook his head. “I guess I should be happy she’s got so many _men_ looking out of her.”

“Brothers,” Benny winked, “now, go get ready so we can get _this_ asshole married.”

“Remind me why I picked you as the best man,” David said as he stood up.

“Because, out of all these clowns, I’m the best choice you’ve got.”

***

They arrived at the church, about an hour or so before the wedding. Ciara and Rae helped Carla into the church while María held the door open. Which left Nora alone with Elena. She was looking around, trying to see if the guys were here yet, and that’s when she saw Santi’s car parked at the other side of the parking lot next to Frankie’s truck. She smiled and turned to head into the chuck when Nora stopped her. “Luna,” she said so softly that she almost didn’t hear her.

Elena turned to her and gave her a confused look. “Wh-what?”

“He called you Luna yesterday,” she said, “Frankie.”

She felt her face burn a little as she looked at the beautiful and innocent woman standing in front of her. “It’s his nickname for me. Has been since we were five,” she smiled a little and remembered the first time he’d ever called her that.

Nora crossed her arms and looked at her over the rim of her sunglasses. “I thought you said you weren’t a thing,” she said, a little more pronounced.

Elena glared at her and wanted to say something, but she was cut off by Liam who was quickly approaching from behind Nora. He had a wide smile on his face as he saw her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a kiss. She looked over his shoulder and saw Nora give her a disapproving look before walking into the church. She felt a chill wash over her as she watched her disappear behind the closing door, and she stepped back from Liam. “How was the campout?” she asked, trying to sound genuine.

He smiled at her. “We had a great time. Santi said he convinced Frankie to stay home since neither of us could get along for a prolonged period of time.” He chuckled.

She glanced up at him without returning his smile. “Well, you’re going to have to today,” she said.

Liam stiffened and looked at her. “I know, ‘Lena,” he said, “so long as he keeps his distance, I will.”

Her eyebrows knit together. “I’ll see you at the reception,” she said, storming into the church. She found her way to the dressing room where Carla was finishing getting ready. Nora was helping Ciara and Carla’s mother with something in the corner while María and Rae sat on the couch drinking champagne. Elena flashed a glare over to Nora, who returned the same gaze before handing Carla’s mother more bobby pins.

“Oh,” Rae said, “it just got cold in here.”

Elena grabbed a drink and sat down. “Nora approached me,” she whispered, “about Frankie.” Rae casually looked over her shoulder to make sure they couldn’t hear them. “She didn’t get a chance to say much, because Liam interrupted us.”

She finished her drink. “María, have you been over to see David yet?” she asked.

María grinned. “You just want an excuse to see Frankie.”

Elena scowled at her. “Let’s go,” she replied.

They made their way down the hallway to David’s room where they could hear the guys whooping and hollering behind the door. Elena knocked on the door, suddenly regretting walking down here to see her brother. She knew _exactly_ what she was walking into. Tom was gracious enough to open the door for them, and he smiled at her. “Are you sure you want to come in here? You know they’re merciless. Your poor mother has been privy to their comments.”

Elena groaned. “Did you at least try to stop them?”

“I did, _before_ we got here. But they’re all buffoons.”

“Is that _Elena_ at the door?” she heard Benny’s voice ask from across the room.

She closed her eyes and braced for the embarrassment. María nudged her forward, forcing her into the room first. “There she is!” Benny exclaimed, walking over to her and slinging his arm around her shoulder. 

She looked across the room and saw Frankie leaning against his knees suffering from the same amount of mortification she was. He glanced up at her and offered her a large apologetic smile that soon turned into one of adoration. To him, she looked beautiful in her bridesmaid’s dress: a floor length, silk, dark green gown with a simple neckline. But the dress was fitted to her in a way that made him lust after her like he’d never before. “Catfish!” Will exclaimed, “Wipe that fucking look off your face.”

That brought a laugh out of the rest of the guys. Gloria was sitting next to him, trying to hide her smile as Antonio joined in their laughter. “I came here to see my _brother_ , you jackasses,” she growled.

Benny tightened his grip around her. “Sure, ‘Lena.”

“I hate all of you,” she said, as she walked over to David who was sitting on a couch next to Santiago laughing. “Are the two of you enjoying the show?”

David raised his glass of water at her. “You know it. It’s making the nerves less noticeable.”

Elena huffed. “You’re all the worst.”

“Just go over there,” Santi said, leaning forward, “we know that’s why you’re here.”

She rolled her eyes and made her way over to Frankie while María entertained everyone else. He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, looking up at her with a small smile. “I’m sorry we’re surrounded by morons,” he said, glaring at them behind her.

Elena rested her hand on his cheek and smirked. “Would you expect them to react any other way?”

“Considering they all see you as a sister,” he continued to glare at them, “yes.”

She laughed and leaned down to kiss him. “Never thought I’d see you in a tux,” she laughed.

He stood up. “What? You don’t like it?” he feigned offence. 

Elena straightened his tie and pulled a piece a lint off his shoulder before whispering, “I’ve never seen you look sexier.”

Frankie froze and looked down at her, blushing just a little. “Really.”

“Play your cards right, and you might get to go home with a bridesmaid,” she smiled at him with a hungry gaze.

He kissed her lightly, afraid to smear her makeup before the ceremony. “Luna,” he said, “the heavens dealt me a royal flush.”

She giggled. “You’re so cheesy,” she kissed his nose, “and I love it.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and walked back to the group of guys. Elena saw Gloria beaming at them from ear to ear, and honestly, this time she would admit to her mother that she had been right all along. She glanced around the group and stopped when her eyes met with Santiago’s. He just grinned at her, never saying a word, or an “I told you so,” when she so rightly deserved it. “Thank you,” she mouthed to him.

He nodded at her and slightly raised his glass of champagne in her direction.

“Well, David,” Elena said, “we just came to check and make sure you didn’t bolt on her. I think we need to head back and do our bridesmaids’ duties before they come looking for us.”

Frankie gave her another kiss, this time drawing out calls from the guys as both of them blushed and she walked out of the door. Elena leaned against it for a minute while María stared at her. “So, when are you going to tell Liam?”

“Tomorrow. I made this decision early yesterday morning before the rehearsal. You were right. All of you were.”

Her sister grinned at her, wrapping her arm through Elena’s and guiding them back to the bridal room. “I know,” she sighed, “I’m just glad you finally saw everything we’d been telling you.”

***

The ceremony came and went in the blink of an eye, and before she knew it, Elena was following the procession back up the aisle with Will at her side. “It’s about damn time,” he said in her ear.

“We are in a _House of God_ ,” she said, “watch your language.”

He laughed and shook his head. “The two of you need to stop making eyes at each other, though. Otherwise, _everyone_ is going to notice.”

She sighed. “I know. I keep telling myself that I only need to make it one more day.”

They walked out of the church and found Carla and David wrapped in each other’s arms, happier than ever as they waited for guests to come out and congratulate them. Frankie and Nora soon followed them out, and Elena instantly burned with jealousy as she saw how close Nora was keeping Frankie to her side. Nora flashed her a quick grin before leading Frankie away from her. Will felt Elena tense against his arm and he chuckled. “You and Frankie are two peas in a pod, I swear.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked, offended, as she watched Nora.

He shook his head and watched Frankie and Nora with her. They watched as a woman - that they could guess was probably family - take a picture of the two of them. Liam approached them, drawing her attention away from Frankie. “I can take her from here, Will,” he said, wrapping his arm around her.

“We’re leaving to take pictures soon,” Will replied.

“Well, until then, I’ll take her from here.”

“I don’t need either of you to babysit me,” she retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

Will turned and looked at her with a smile. “I’m going to go talk to Frankie,” he said, “I’ll see you in a bit.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek leaving her with Liam.

“Seems like Frankie and that bridesmaid are hitting it off,” he said in her ear.

Elena felt her face grow warm as she looked over at the pair. She knew that she had nothing to worry about with Frankie, but if Nora wasn’t careful, Elena was going to… “Earth to Elena,” Liam said.

She turned and looked at him with a small smile. “Sorry, what?”

“I said Frankie and that bridesmaid are really hitting it off. Do you think he took the hint?” Liam chuckled.

She rolled her eyes. “The two of you used to be friends,” she said, “don’t you want him to be _happy_.”

He huffed, ushering over to her parents and away from Frankie. She looked back over her shoulder at him, making eye contact. She could see the sympathy and sorrow in his eyes as she was forced to be stuck with Liam for the day. The only solace he could find was that she promised the last dance to him, and after tomorrow he would never have to watch Liam hurt his Luna again.

***

After the wedding, they went to a local park for pictures, and Frankie took notice that Elena was back to avoiding him while Nora clung to his side. She did tell him last night that she would have to pretend she didn’t love him today, but everyone around them knew the truth. She didn’t need to pretend here. He’d see her occasionally shoot a glance in his direction, but then quickly avert her eyes as soon as he was looking. Nora’s behavior had also not gone unnoticed. She’d glued herself to him the moment the ceremony was over and tried to draw all of Frankie’s attention on her when his eyes would wander over to Elena. He would just chuckle and shake his head, hoping that Elena knew after last night, he’d only have eyes for her. 

He started to make his way over to Elena when he felt a small hand grab his. “Frankie,” Nora said, trying to pull him back to her.

He turned to look at her. “I’ll be back,” he said, trying not to hurt her feelings, “I just need to speak with Elena.”

Frankie pulled his hand from her grip and walked over to her with a smile. She was talking with Santiago and Tom when he approached her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He hoped this would comfort her and force her to stop avoiding him.

Nora huffed and turned to the other bridesmaids and groomsmen. Will and Benny were exchanging humored looks as she started to complain. “I thought she had a boyfriend,” she said.

Rae tensed and looked over to María, who just shook her head. “She’s playing him, and for some reason he doesn’t see it. It’s kind of low if you ask me.”

“We didn’t,” Rae blurted, her eyes growing wide and almost apologetic at her sudden outburst.. 

Nora turned and gazed at her, offended. “You’re telling me you’re okay with that?”

The whole group glanced at each other and didn’t say a word. She huffed and shook her head. “He’s just going to get hurt in the end.”

Will sighed and stepped forward. “Nora, is it? Look, what the two of them have none of us will ever be able to understand. They’ve been in love with each other since even before they knew it.”

“They’ve been best friends since kindergarten,” María continued, “inseparable from the first day. He practically lived in our house, to the point the guest bedroom became ‘Frankie’s Room’.”

“He’s her Sol, and she’s his Luna. They have stupid nicknames, movies that are ‘theirs’, and memories that give their friendship more depth than any romantic relationship I’ve ever seen.” Benny added.

Rae took a deep breath before adding, “She’s my best friend, and I’m completely okay knowing I’m not hers. They have this connection to each other, that even after ten years, it’s still there - stronger than ever. So, she may ‘be with Liam,’ but he’s not the one. And, I don’t care who Frankie is with, she will _never_ be his Luna. You might try to get with Frankie, and maybe you’ll get lucky, but you’ll learn real quick that he will never love you the way he loves her.”

Nora scowled at all of them and shook her head. “I get that they’re your friends, which makes sense why you want them together, but if she’s cheating on her boyfriend with Frankie, she’ll eventually just cheat on him. Once a cheater-”

Ras stepped closer to her, having had enough of her complaints. “I wouldn’t finish that sentence, sweetie. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Liam is a worthless example of a man, and they will _both_ be happy once she’s rid of him. So, I suggest you play nice the rest of the day for the bride and groom’s sake and watch what you say and do when it concerns Frankie.”

“What are you going to do, Rae?” She snarkily replied, crossing her arms.

“Nothing,” she breathed, “but I can’t say the same for Elena. Like we said, he’s her Sol. Fly too close to the sun, Icarus, and you just might get burned.”

She glared at Rae before turning on her heel to go stand with Ciara, who was with the photographer watching Carla and David’s pictures. Benny turned to Rae and started laughing. “Fuck, Rae,” he said, “overprotective much?”

She smiled and shook her head, wrapping an arm around Benny and leaning into him. “It needed to happen. I just saved her from heartbreak, honestly.”

“You just decided to annihilate her instead.”

Frankie pulled Elena closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Santiago smiled and rolled his eyes. “Oh, what?” Elena teasingly said, “you and Rae are way worse, and you wanted this to happen.”

He looked over at her, still grinning. “Maybe I should have rethought that.”

Tom laughed and pushed Pope. “This was your endgame from the get go.”

Frankie swayed with her a little, paying not attention to the two of them. He was completely enamored with her, and everything around them seemed to fade away. He didn’t even notice when Tom and Santi sauntered off to join the others and leave them alone. She spun around in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. “What about Nora?” she grinned.

He chuckled at her. “Nora who?”

“Good answer,” she widened her smile. 

He sighed and looked down into her eyes. “I was thinking, after tomorrow, I could go back with you to New York and finally eat at your restaurant.”

“When do you have to report back to base?”

He shrugged. “They said that since my case is still under review, they will let me know forty-eight hours in advance when I need to go back.”

Chills went up and down his spine as he felt her fingers toying with the curls at the base of his neck. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his. “I wish it was Sunday already,” she said.

He let out a relaxed breath as he absorbed everything about her in this moment. “Me too, mi Luna.”

“Time for the bridal party to join the happy couple,” the photographer shouted, breaking apart their precious moment.

***

The reception was going by extremely fast. After dinner was served, the wedding party broke away from their table and began mingling on the dance floor. Liam had dragged her over to the table he was sitting at with her parents. He threw his arm over the back of her chair as they watched the rest of them dance. Frankie was dancing with Nora, but he wasn’t oblivious to the fact Liam was forcing her to just watch instead of joining her friends on the dance floor. _How have you lived like this for so long, mi Luna?_ He thought to himself. He smiled at her over Nora’s shoulder and she returned his expression. 

Elena turned to Liam when “Heaven” started playing. “Let’s go dance,” she begged, “you know I love this song.”

He shook his head. “Hold on. I just got a message from Cheryl at work. The contract’s not going through.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. Frankie could see that she wanted to dance, and as he tried to pull away from Nora, she held him firm. He looked down at her, but she pleaded at him with large eyes to stay. When he gazed back at Elena, he saw Will walk over and ask for this dance. His heart raced as he watched Liam grow uncomfortable, but when he saw Liam glance over at him and then to Will, he _allowed_ her to go. She grabbed his hand and followed him onto the dance floor. She swayed with him and smiled, thanking him for dancing with her to one of her favorite songs.

Bryan Adams’ voice rang out the lyrics that suddenly struck a chord in Frankie, as he gazed at her so close to him:

> _“Oh thinkin’ about all our younger years  
> _ _There was only you and me  
> _ _We were young and wild and free  
> _ _  
>  _
> 
> _Now nothin’ can take you away from me  
> _ _We’ve been down that road before  
> _ _But that’s over now  
> _ _You keep me comin’ back for more”_

He saw her look over Will’s shoulder and smile at him with all the love and adoration in the world.

> _“Baby, you’re all that I want  
> _ _When you’re lyin’ here in my arms  
> _ _I’m findin’ it hard to believe  
> _ _We’re in heaven  
> _ _  
> _ _And love is all that I need  
> _ _And I found it there in your heart  
> _ _It isn’t too hard to see  
> _ _We’re in heaven”_

Will looked down at Elena and smiled, leading her closer to Frankie, but not too close for Liam to get suspicious. 

> _“Oh once in your life you find someone  
>  Who will turn your world around  
> Bring you up when you’re feelin’ down  
>    
> Yeah nothin’ could change what you mean to me  
> Oh there’s lots that I could say  
> But just hold me now  
> ‘Cause our love will light the way”_

She glanced up at Will and smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said.

“You shouldn’t have to sit there all night. This is your brother’s wedding. I’m expecting you to be dancing a whole lot more.”

She laughed. “I meant thank you for showing me how unhappy I was.”

He grinned. “Elena, I didn’t do that. It was Frankie.” 

She nodded. “I know, but it was really all of you. I should have listened a long time ago.”

Will pulled her in close, resting her hand on his chest as he leaned down to whisper to her. “Call me if things go badly tomorrow.”

“I’ll be fine, Will.”

He looked at her, seriousness pouring from his eyes. “In case you aren’t, call me.”

He watched her look over at Frankie, again, and smile. He hadn’t seen her smile like that in a _long_ time, and the same went for Frankie. He saw what Santiago and Rae talked about. Frankie and Elena brought out something in each other that no one else could. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy for Frankie, because there was a time he thought he loved Elena. How couldn’t he; she was amazing. But he realized what he was actually jealous of was the devotion, the connection they shared. He longed to feel about someone the way they felt about each other. His heart swelled for his friends so much every time he saw them light up in each other’s presence. As the song came to an end and a much faster song took its place, he held her fast. “Stay out here and dance with me at least,” he said, “don’t sit over there and mope with Liam.”

Rae walked up to the two of them. “It’s about time someone got you out here,” she smiled, dancing next to them.

Elena laughed and danced away with them. She looked over at Carla, who was dancing with Benny as he twirled her around the floor. David was dancing with María, as they laughed together at Benny and Carla. For a brief moment, she had forgotten about Liam, her problems, her heartache and was completely overjoyed in the celebration of her brother and his new wife. It wasn’t until she saw Frankie again did she see the scowl Nora had on her face, in her general direction.

“What the fuck is her problem?” she asked Rae.

Rae sardonically smiled at Nora and said, “Icarus is getting a little too close to that Sun.”

Elena whipped her head back at Nora and glared. She watched as she turned to face Frankie and whisper something in his ear. He nodded and followed her off the dance floor. Strangely enough, Elena didn’t feel jealous or angry. In fact, she felt sorry for Nora, because what she wanted to happen with Frankie would never. She was confident enough in their connection to know Frankie didn’t even think twice about this young, beautiful bridesmaid.

Frankie followed Nora outside and handed her a drink he picked up on their way out. She smiled and took it from him. “Frankie,” she said, “I’m just curious. Are you using me to make Elena jealous?”

He was taken back by her very forward question. “Excuse me?” he replied.

“I think you’re charming,” she continued, “and if I’m being honest, I was hoping to go home with you tonight. But if you’re using me just to make her jealous, I don’t want any part of it.”

His eyebrows knit together and he stared at her. “Nora, I think you’re a sweet girl, which is why I would never do that to you.”

“Then why are you flirting with me and leading me on?”

“I’m just being polite and nice. I’m sorry if you are getting the wrong impression.” He sipped on his Jack and Coke.

She was growing more upset. “You realize that she’s with Liam, right?”

He blinked a few times and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but Elena and I…”

“Frankie, she’s using you. I know girls like her. She’s never going to leave Liam for you. She just likes having someone like you to be there for her every beck and call.”

He straightened his posture and slowly moved closer to her. “Nora,” he said, his voice a little deeper, “I appreciate you trying to look out for me, but you’ve known us for a whole day? Don’t meddle in business you know nothing about.”

“You’re just such a sweet guy, and you deserve someone who isn’t going to just keep you in the friendzone while she flaunts her boyfriend in front of you.”

He felt his heart start to race. “Again, I appreciate it. But this is between me and Elena.”

Nora inched closer to him. “Frankie, sometimes you need to hear this from someone outside the situation. Look, the same thing happened to me and it took me years to realize he was an asshole and was never going to love me the way I loved him. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

“We aren’t you and that douche, and I need you to not speak about Elena like that.”

“If she loves you so much, then why is she still with Liam?” She tapped her foot impatiently.

“There’s more to this than what you could have _possibly_ learned in a day,” he said, growing irritated with her, “I’m sorry if you thought this was a flirtation and that we were leaving here together. There’s only one woman I plan on leaving with, and she’s in there.”

“Well, she’s leaving with Liam.”

Frankie could feel the heat rising in his face as he inched even closer to her, his face so closer to hers that he could feel her breathing. “I’m confident in what she and I shared last night to know, after tomorrow, I don’t have to worry about Liam again. So, mind your own business, Nora.”

She backed away from Frankie, and ran back inside to the reception. Elena saw her run immediately to the bathroom, and she couldn’t help but feel a little triumphant. Frankie entered the room soon after and made his way over to the dance floor. He approached Santi and Benny, who were dancing in the center of the dance floor. He made eye contact with Elena and smiled at her, giving her a quick wink. 

***

The hours flew by as they danced the night away. Carla and David sliced into their cake, and managed to gracefully feed each other a piece. Elena caught the bouquet and Frankie the garter; the irony was not lost on the wedding party. At around ten, she had sat down for a brief moment next to Liam to get a drink. He was still texting away on his phone, when suddenly his phone rang. “Liam,” he answered, “What? They agreed to the terms before I even left. Well, what’s wrong now? I won’t be back until Wednesday. Wait. No. What? I can’t hear you. Hold on.” 

He got up and left her alone at the table as he stepped outside. She rolled her eyes and leaned back in the chair. This was normal for him, and she was tired of it. She looked at her friends on the dance floor, beckoning her to come join them. She smiled and raised her glass at them. The DJ then came over the mic, “Alright folks, this is the last dance of the evening, and a special request with a short shoutout: ‘Congratulations, Carla and David, may the two of you live a long and happy life together. Cheers, guys. And, Luna, es para ti. Tú Sol.’”

Her heart fluttered as Frankie approached her with his hand extended. “I believe you reserved the last dance for me,” he smiled. 

A beautiful, familiar piano started playing over the speakers as she grabbed his hand. A tear ran down her cheek as she instantly recognized it as her absolute favorite song. Elvis’ deep baritone flowed around them as he held her close on the dance floor, their foreheads resting on each other’s. “Wise men say,” Frankie softly sang along to her, “only fools rush in. But I can’t help falling in love with you.”

She gazed up at him and beamed. “Shall I stay,” she joined him, “would it be a sin, if I can’t help falling in love with you?”

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest as he brought her hand over his heart. She could feel the calm steady beat that hers suddenly attuned to his. He rested his hand in the small of her back as he pulled her into him, swaying. 

Frankie pulled back and gazed down into her eyes. “I love you,” he said, “more than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she smiled at him. “I love you, mi Sol,” she replied.

He lightly kissed her forehead and continued swaying with her until the music faded away. When she finally pulled away from him, she looked back at the table and saw Liam standing there, furious with Nora next to him.

“Frankie,” she whispered, “I have to go.”

He held her hand in his. “Elena, do you want me to go with you?”

She gazed up into his eyes, trying to look past the tears. “No, mi amor, I need to do this with just Liam.”

Frankie reluctantly let her walk back to Liam, watching her slowly move towards him. Liam’s gaze burned as he looked between the two of them, but softened when she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear. He saw him nod and place his hand in the small of her back to guide her out of the building. Only once did both of them glance back at Frankie: Elena was apologetic, and Liam’s was full of triumph.

**Translations**

  * _Estas jugando con fuego. - You are playing with fire._
  * _Te quiero/amo. - I love you._
  * _Es para ti. - This is for you._




	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Elena have a long, overdue conversation about their relationship that takes a turn for the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: There is Domestic Violence and Abuse in this chapter.

_“And those were the last words the Moon was strong enough to speak to the Sun.”_

The ride home was silent and uncomfortable as Liam refused to talk to her. Honestly, she couldn’t care any less than she already did. If Liam wanted to have this conversation now, then so be it. The wedding was over, and she was done with his bullshit. She glanced over at him and saw him tightening his grip on the steering wheel and staring straight ahead. “Are you going to say something?” she asked, crossing her arms.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. “You two looked awfully comfortable on that dance floor tonight,” he said through his teeth.

“Yeah? So?”

“So? So, Elena, last time I checked we were in a committed relationship. _So_ , that means you shouldn’t be cozying up next to another man, _especially_ him.” She could see his anger and jealousy seething through.

“What do you want me to say, Liam?” she snapped, feeling the heat rise in her face.

Liam shook his head and put the car in park as they pulled in front of the guest house. He slammed his hands on the steering wheel before storming out of the vehicle, thrusting the door closed. She felt her heart race, suddenly afraid of where this was going. She looked at her phone in her hand, remembering Will’s offer. _No, I can do this_. She took a long, deep breath and followed him into the house. “Liam,” she exclaimed, “you do not get to just walk away from this.”

He stepped out of the kitchen holding a glass of whiskey. “Yes,” he hissed, “I do. It’s been a long day, I’m tired, and I don’t want to deal with this right now.”

He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch while he sipped on his drink. She followed him in there and sat down in the chair adjacent, staring at him. “Well, I want to deal with it right now,” she replied.

Liam continued to ignore her as he stared at the black glass of the television set. He wasn’t even sure how he wanted to approach this without losing his temper. He took another drink before his glossy eyes glanced over to her. “Do you even love me, Elena?” he asked.

“What?”

“Oh, come on,” he continued, “I’m not an idiot. I know you love Frankie, but do you even love me?”

“Of course I do, Liam. Do you think these last four years have been for nothing?”

He sighed and turned his body to completely face her. “But you don’t deny that you love _him_.”

She leaned forward on her knees and looked at Liam. “What’s my favorite movie?”

His eyebrows knit together and he glared at her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Just answer the question.” **  
**

Liam thought for a minute, finishing his drink and setting the empty glass on the table. “ _Gatsby_.”

“ _Casablanca_. What’s my favorite book?”

He shook his head. 

“ _Persuasion_. What’s my favorite song?”

He gave her a blank stare. “What point are you trying to make, Elena?”

“You don’t love me, Liam,” she scowled, “you don’t even know the basic things about me.”

“Just because I don’t know your favorite movie? Are you fucking kidding me? You’re basing our relationship off that?” He laughed and leaned back against the couch.

“It’s not just that,” she insisted.

He glanced back over at her with a cocky grin on his face. “Oh yeah? Please, I would _love_ to hear this.”

She took a deep breath and stood up. “Our sex life is less than satisfactory.”

His head snapped up as he suddenly took offense to her statement. “I can think of _several_ times where that is a lie.”

Elena crossed her arms and leaned on one leg impatiently. “Oh really? If sex is so good between us, how come you’ve _never_ gone down on me?”

He laughed and stared up at her. “Seriously? I’ve done that plenty of times.”

“No, Liam, you haven’t. You’ve never spent any time pleasuring me.”

“You never asked!” he exclaimed.

She let out a frustrated breath. “I shouldn’t have to! Just like every other aspect of our relationship, the sex is all about you and your needs. I need to feel like your partner, not just your trophy.”

He stood up and walked over to her, causing her to back up just a little. Suddenly, she felt small, helpless. “Has Frankie?”

She was instantly taken back by his question. Elena frowned at him and refused to answer. He chuckled and ran his hand down his face. “It makes so much sense now that I think about it,” he said.

“What?”

“Well, Nora found me outside tonight after my phone call. She was _clearly_ upset about something, and she said some things that I found hard to believe. That was, until I saw the way the two of you were dancing.”

She felt a chill run down her spine as her blood ran cold. She had this sudden feeling of uneasiness wash over her that was worse than when he found that picture of her and Frankie in her nightstand. “She’s just jealous, Liam.” **  
**

“Why would she be jealous, Elena, if nothing has happened between the two of you?”

She took a deep breath and stared at him in the eyes, thinking of Frankie and trying to get the courage to say it. _You’re strong, Luna,_ he seemed to whisper in her ear. “This isn’t working anymore,” she said.

She flinched as she watched him tense up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’re done. If I’ve learned anything this weekend, it’s that we are unhappy and we don’t work together.”

He laughed at her. “Who’s putting these thoughts into your head? Santiago and Rae? Will? _Frankie_? None of them have ever liked us together for some fucking reason. Now, they’re trying to convince you that I’m some selfish asshole…”

“I’ve known that for a while,” she rebuked, “I just didn’t have the nerve to say anything until now.”

“Oh, because of Frankie.”

Elena sighed. “Fine, I’m tired of trying to hide it anymore. Yes, because of Frankie. Liam, I have been in love with him since I was five years old. I thought you and I were in love, but I was kidding myself. We never loved each other; we were just safe and convenient.”

“So now what? Are you just going to run back to him after all that pain he caused you?”

She puffed out her chest and frowned at him. “Honestly, that’s no concern of yours. As far as you know, I’m leaving you just to lead a happier life, not to run off with Frankie,” she spat.

He took another intimidating step closer. “Now I know why he really didn’t come to the campout last night,” he said, “Nora was telling the truth.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You fucked him last night.” She froze. He instantly saw the guilt on her face and his blood began to boil. “There’s no need to confirm or deny it. Nora told me you left with him last night from Carla’s and never returned.”

Her breathing picked up pace and she could swear Liam could hear her heart beating. “Liam,” she tried to calm herself before continuing, “whether that happened or not, I made my decision to leave you the other day. I found that ring in your pant pocket and panicked. I thought about what you wanted our futures to look like, and I realized we couldn’t be more opposite.”

“Our futures could change! What I said was a thought, not a declaration. We could change our mind in five years. Hell, in two months!”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. We are finished.”

“Did you?” he asked as calmly as possible. “Did you sleep with him?”

She glared at him, debating on answering him. “We’re over,” she added, “does it really matter?”

“Yes,” he said, grabbing her wrist with a tight squeeze.

“Liam,” she cautioned.

“If you’re going to leave me for him, I deserve to know if you fucked him last night or not,” his grip tightened on her already bruised wrist again.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll let go of my wrist now.”

“Or what? Is Frankie going to come here to get his ass kicked again?” He smiled at her. “Just answer the question, and I’ll let go.”

She took a deep breath, knowing it could only get worse the longer she avoided his question. “Fine,” she breathed, “I slept with Frankie last night.”

His grip tightened on her wrist, causing her hand to start to turn a deep red, almost purple color. She squirmed to get away, but he yanked her forward into his chest. “You really know how to twist the knife in my back, you know that,” he said so low and soft that Elena was now terrified.

She tried pulling away from him, but his grip held her close. “Let go, Liam,” she said through her teeth, trying not to display the fear that bubbled near the surface..

“Why? So you can run to _him_?”

“I’m going to the main house to sleep, and if you hurt me, I will call Frankie.”

He dropped her hand and watched her storm off, towards the stairs to grab a change of clothes. His vision was slowly being clouded by his rage as he imagined Frankie and Elena together, entangled in each other’s arms. He wasn’t aware his feet began to move as he made his way up the stairs to the master bedroom.

***

They all sat around the bar, laughing over a few drinks. Santiago and Rae were canoodling in a corner booth away from them while Will, Tom, Benny, and Frankie sat at the bar drinking their beers. Frankie looked down at his phone, a little frustrated that it had died. If Elena needed him, there’s no way he’d know until his phone was plugged in. He took a long drink from his beer and smiled at Will. “You remember that time we were overseas and I caught you writing those letters,” he said.

Frankie nodded, he knew exactly what letters Will was talking about.

“Where they addressed to Elena?” he asked, taking another drink.

He slowly inhaled and reflected back on the countless letters he’d written for Elena, wishing he had the balls to send them to her. “Yes,” he murmured, “I wrote her letters all the time, but I never sent them. Most of them I would gather into a pile and burn them when no one was watching.”

Will frowned at him. “Why would you do that?”

Frankie shrugged. “I guess I thought she would do that any way without reading them, so I was saving her the pain. But I kept one of them.”

He leaned in more to hear Frankie.

“It’s one that was more for me than her, and I figured if I ever saw her again, I’d hand it to her myself.”

Tom started hysterically laughing about some story Benny was telling when Will’s phone suddenly rang. Frankie’s heart raced when he saw the concerned look on Will’s face as he looked at the Caller ID. He excused himself from the bar to answer it.

Will stepped outside with his phone pressed close to his ear. “Elena, is everything alright?”

He heard her sobbing, unable to get any words out. Then, he could hear in the background Liam shouting for Elena followed by several apologies. “Fuck,” Will breathed into the phone, “Don’t hang up, ‘Lena.” He kept her on the line, but ran back in. As soon as Frankie saw the panicked look on his face, he jumped out of his seat. Tom and Benny turned and saw a distraught Will making their way toward him. “We gotta go,” he said, “now.”

“Will,” she said into the phone, just barely loud enough for him to hear it over the music and chatter in the bar..

“We’re on our way,” he comforted.

She cried even harder. “Frankie…”

Will handed the phone to Frankie, and the second he heard her sobbing, his heart sank. “Luna,” he whispered, trying to remain calm, “Luna, you stay on the phone with me. Do not hang up. I’m on my way.”

“Hurry, Frankie,” she wept.

Benny already made his way over to Santiago and got his ass moving while Frankie stormed out of the bar with everyone close behind him. He tossed Will the keys to his truck and hopped in the passenger side. “What is he doing, mi amor?” he asked.

“He’s banging on the bathroom door trying to get in,” she stuttered as she spoke, trying to remain calm between sobs. “I think my arm is broken.”

He growled and looked over at Will, covering the microphone. “I’m going to fucking kill him.” 

Will sped down the road, as fast as he could, to get to Elena. Frankie’s heart was beating so fast that he was sure he was going to have a stroke if he didn’t get to her soon.

***

She closed her eyes and held her arm to her chest as she leaned against the tub and waited for Frankie to get there. Images flashed through her memory as she heard Liam on the other side of the door begging her to come out and talk, profusely apologizing to her, and swearing he’d never do it again. She had grabbed her carry-on bag and started throwing a change of clothes in there when she heard him storming up the stairs, shouting at her for sleeping with Frankie. When she’d turned around, he’d slapped her hard, knocking her to the ground. When she fell, she hit her head on the floor, but she still had her wits about her as she kicked him away from her and she grabbed her phone off the bed. After that, everything had happened so fast that she could hardly remember what happened. She just remembered crawling to the bathroom and locking the door after he’d knocked her into the dresser. After trying several times, through the tears, she finally dialed Frankie’s number, but when she got his voicemail, she instantly dialed Will’s praying he’d answer. When he did, she’d never been so relieved in her life.

Now, with Frankie on the other end, trying to keep her calm, she managed to find the strength to stand and look at her reflection. She had a busted lip and a knot and cut on her forehead. She had terrible bruising on her arm and streaks of mascara running down her cheeks. Those only thickened as she cried out of fear and anger. “Don’t cry, mi Luna,” Frankie soothed through the phone, “I’m on my way.”

“Elena,” Liam said through the door, “please, I’m sorry!”

“Fuck off, Liam,” she shouted between sobs.

“Please,” he begged.

She started crying again. “Mi Sol,” she softly replied.

“Where are you?” he asked, as they turned down the driveway.

“I’m upstairs in the master.”

“I’m here,” he replied, “I’ll see you in a few seconds.”

Frankie hung the phone up and jumped out of the truck. Will and the rest of the guys followed closely behind him with Rae behind them. The second he got into the house he could hear Liam pleading with her upstairs. He could feel his anger swelling inside him, but he did his best to stay calm for her. He would be no use to her if he flew off the handle. He went up the stairs two at a time and ran through the bedroom door. He saw Liam leaned against the locked bathroom door, begging her to come out. The room had been destroyed with the dresser near the bathroom tipped over and her things thrown across the floor. His rage almost boiled over until Will and Benny rushed past him, dragging Liam away from the door. Frankie calmly walked up to the door and knocked, “Luna, abre la puerta.”

He heard shuffling behind the door before the lock clicked. He waited a few seconds before opening it. The second he saw her sitting on the floor, cradling her arm, he lost it. Elena looked up at him through her thick, wet eyelashes with a gleam in her eyes. She’d never been so happy to see someone in her life. However, Frankie couldn’t handle the sight of her injured like she was. Frankie turned on his heel and grabbed Liam by his shirt collar. “You motherfucker,” he snarled as he punched him. 

Liam kicked Frankie off him and wiped the blood from his nose. “Really, asshole? I’m not the one who fucked someone else’s girlfriend. _My_ girlfriend.”

“She was never yours to begin with.” Frankie lunged at him, sending him into the wall. He sent a hail of left and right hooks into him as Liam did his best to push Frankie off him. 

Will grabbed Frankie to stop him. “Leave him to us. Go take care of your girl,” he said.

“I warned you, hijo de puta, if you touched her again that I’d kill you where you stood,” Frankie growled at him, his voice lower and more aggressive.

He took several deep breaths before jerking his arms free of Will’s grasp and walking back to see her. Rae was knelt next to her wiping the blood off her forehead. She stopped when she saw Frankie and moved out of his way. He didn’t say anything, but instead gently pulled Elena into his arms and carried her out of the room. Rae followed him. She stopped and turned to Santiago who was helping Will and Benny with Liam. “Stay here with him until the police arrive,” she said, “I’m taking them to the hospital.”

Santi nodded at her. “Take care of mi hermanita. I’ll tell Pops and Mama.”

She kissed his cheek and ran after Frankie and Elena. He had her in the truck while he inspected her wrist. If it was broken, it was hopefully a minor fracture. She winced as he looked, but she’d never felt more safe than this moment. He gently let her arm rest in her lap as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “He’s never going to hurt you again,” he said, the guilt suddenly hitting him.

Rae hopped into the driver’s seat and started the car. Frankie joined them, pulling her into his lap as he cradled her against his chest. They drove in silence as the truck’s movement lulled her to sleep in his arms. He held on to her as tight as he could without hurting her as they raced to the hospital. 

***

The second they pulled in, Frankie hopped out of the truck and carried her until a nurse came with a wheelchair. He held onto her other hand as they waited to be admitted for an exam. Thirty minutes later, Gloria ran into the waiting room and flew to her daughter, crying. “Thank God you are alright,” she exclaimed. She kissed her cheek and then wrapped Frankie into a tight embrace. “And thank God you were there for her.”

He smiled at her and nodded. Santiago approached them, looking every bit as worried as her mother. “The police are on their way here,” he stated, “Liam was taken down to the station for questioning, but they want your statement, ‘Lena.”

She nodded. “Thank you,” her voice cracked, “for everything, Santi.” She reached for him with her good arm and rested her hand on his cheek. “Te amo, mi hermano.”

He kissed her knuckles and gave her hand a loving squeeze. “Te amo, mi hermanita.”

“Ms. Bohannon,” the nurse called.

Both Elena and Frankie perked up at the sound. He grabbed the handles on the wheelchair and pushed her over to the nurse. “I’ll take it from here, sir.”

“I want him with me,” Elena insisted.

The nurse looked between the two and nodded. “This way.”

***

Hours had gone by while the doctor and nurses administered an X-ray, cleaned her cuts, and fitted her for a cast. Once she had her cast on, the police were allowed back to speak with her so she could give her statement. “Do you want to press charges?” the officer had asked.

Elena shook her head. “No, I just want him out of my life. A restraining order would be preferable.”

Frankie tensed at her answer. He, of course, wanted her to press charges, but it was ultimately her decision. Regardless of his feelings towards Liam, he supported her. His arm was lightly resting on the small of her back while she sat on the edge of the hospital bed, answering their questions. He ran his hand up and down to keep her calm and let her know he wasn’t going anywhere. “We lived together in New York, though.”

The officer wrote down all the information. “We can communicate with the station up there and have someone ready to meet him at the airport to enforce the restraining order.”

She meekly smiled and nodded her head. 

“Will someone be in the apartment with you when he arrives?”

“I will be,” Frankie said.

Elena looked up at him and smiled, “And most likely everyone out in the waiting room once I tell them.”

The officer looked back up at Frankie, again. “Are you Mr. Francisco Morales?”

He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He sighed and looked through his notes from earlier. “Liam is pressing charges against you for your assault upon your arrival to the scene.”

Frankie groaned. “I’m on leave from Fort Hood.”

“Army?”

Frankie stood up straighter and nodded. “Special Forces Pilot. My squad leader is out in the waiting room, or you can contact our CO at the base.”

The officer glanced over to his partner and sighed. “We appreciate your service, sir, but I’m afraid since he’s filed and is pressing charges, we will have to report this. We’ll talk to your squad leader when we leave here.” He closed his notepad and looked up at both Elena and Frankie. “If we have any more questions, we’ll be in touch. We’ll make sure that the R.O. goes through first thing in the morning, ma’am.”

Elena turned to Frankie worried. “What’s going to happen, Frankie?” she asked.

He shrugged and glanced down at her. “I don’t know,” he replied, “hopefully Tom can pull some strings for me while he’s out there.”

She felt tears stream down her face as she suddenly felt the world closing in around them. Liam had found a way to remove Frankie from her life, and she cursed him for it. Frankie wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Don’t cry, mi Luna,” he soothed, “I don’t care what happens to me. I just want you to be safe.”

She wiped her eyes. “No, but I care,” she said, “I don’t want them to take you away from me. I don’t want you to serve time just because you were defending me.”

Frankie ran his hand over her cheek and smiled at her. “Tom will take care of it,” he said, “he’s not going to let anything happen.”

She wrapped her arms around him again, and he closed his eyes as he stood there, holding onto the one thing that tethered him to this world. Suddenly he was filled with grief and guilt as he felt her cast digging into his spine. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, not realizing he said it out loud.

Elena looked up at him and frowned. “Why are you sorry?”

He shook his head and came out of his daze and lifted her arm. “I shouldn’t have let you go with him alone. I had this sinking feeling he was going to pull some shit, and I should have made you stay with me. I could have protected you…”

She rested her free hand on his face, running her thumb over her cheekbone. “You and I have both made a lot of mistakes over the last several years, _especially_ this week. But that is not one of them. This is not your fault, mi Sol. I went with him. I knew what I was possibly walking into. But what it boils down to is that Liam is the one who did this. No one could have stopped him. He wanted to hurt me, because I hurt him. This is his fault he could not control his anger and hatred for you.”

He opened his mouth to argue, so she pulled him down to her. She kissed him passionately as she ran her hands through his hair. She played with his bottom lip before she could deepen her embrace, and soon their kiss was nothing more than a tangled mess of teeth, tongues, and lips. When they finally separated, gasping for air, she smiled at him. “If this is how you plan on winning disagreements,” he said between breaths, “I will happily lose every single time.”

Elena laughed and wrapped a leg around him to pull him closer. “You will lose every single time, regardless.”

It was late at night when she was finally discharged from the hospital, and everyone had fallen asleep in the waiting room. As Frankie wheeled her out, she stopped him and grabbed his hand. “No one called David and Carla, right?”

He nodded. “I told them to wait.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“Cualquier cosa para ti, mi Luna,” he softly whispered to her. 

Benny was the first to wake up when they approached and he smiled and gasped, waking everyone else up. Slowly, she stood so he could wrap her into his arms. She grinned and chuckled as he held her tight, almost like he was afraid to let her go. “I’ve never been so scared in my life,” he said, slowly backing away from her, “When I saw Frankie carrying you out of that bathroom, I felt all the air leave my body.”

She held him closer and felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. She’d never been so grateful to have such a group care for her the way they did. Thanks wasn’t enough for them, so she settled for the hugs and silent tears. “We’re going up with you guys when Liam comes up to move his stuff out of the apartment,” Will said. 

Santiago wrinkled his nose in disapproval. “Okay,” he laughed, “but we aren’t _staying_ in the apartment with them. We are all getting a separate hotel, right?”

Frankie rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You thought I was letting you stay with us?” he laughed. “Fuck that.”

They all laughed in an uproar that echoed down the hospital hallways, drawing several glances from the nurses. “Language, mijo,” Gloria jokingly chastised. Elena sat down in the wheelchair again and yawned. “Frankie, get her home so she can sleep. The rest of you, I better see you in the morning for breakfast.”

Will slapped his stomach and smiled. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Mama.” 

Everyone followed Frankie out of the hospital as he helped her into his truck. Will and Santiago stopped at the window, and she gently rolled it down with her opposite hand. “‘Lena,” Santi said, “he will never hurt you again.”

She smiled at him. “I know, Santi. Thank you, again.”

Will reached in and kissed her cheek. “We love you, Elena,” he added, “we will all make sure nothing ever hurts you or Frankie again. I’m glad you’re going to be alright.”

“Now, you’re going to make me cry again,” she laughed, wiping a tear away. “I love you too, Will.” She glanced over to Frankie and grabbed his hand. “I don’t know where we’d be without you.”

Will smiled at her and backed away so they could leave. She glanced over at Frankie and smiled, running her thumb over his knuckles before letting go so he could drive away from the hospital. Tom quickly ran over to the truck before he could leave. “Catfish,” he said, trying to get his attention. 

Frankie rolled his window down for Tom. “What’s up?”

“The officers told me what Liam did.”

“And?”

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I know you already have a hearing coming up with that ordeal from a few months back, and that this will make it worse. So, I told them to forward me the paperwork, and I’ll report it on base for them. I’ll talk to the CO and see what I can do to help you out, but it’s going in your record. That I can’t avoid.”

He shrugged. “Thanks, Redfly,” he gave him a weak smile. “Look, I beat the shit out of him. I have to face the consequences.”

“Yeah, but you were defending someone, which will be mentioned in my report. Go get some rest. We’ll see you in the morning.”

Frankie glanced over to Elena and gave her a wide smile, one that was genuine. It was her favorite smile of his that she only saw around his friends and her. She grinned back and kissed him lightly before he put the truck in drive. She gazed out the window for a while watching the trees, houses, and light posts pass by, and then ultimately the road to turn home was behind them. She’d scooted into the middle seat and curled up against him as she guessed where he was taking her. She watched as they passed familiar landmarks before he turned down a long gravel road with a lake house waiting for them at the end of it. “I figured you wouldn’t want to sleep there tonight, so I thought here would be perfect,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

She looked down at her bridesmaid’s dress and laughed. “I have no clothes, and my glasses are at the farm.”

He smiled. “Rae drove back after you went off for your X-ray to pack you a bag.” He parked next to the house and helped her out of the truck, but not before slinging two backpacks over his shoulders. Frankie scooped her up in his arms and carried her through the dimly lit cabin until he found the bedroom. He helped her out of her dress and into clothes that were significantly more comfortable to sleep in: an oversized t-shirt and shorts. He then grabbed the clothes Rae packed for him and changed out of his tux.

By the time he came back from the bathroom, she was already passed out in the bed, curled up in the middle. He’d never seen anything more serene and beautiful in his life. Gently, he pulled the covers back and crawled in next to her. In her sleep, she reached out for him, and he graciously obliged, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight against him. He was afraid if he let her go then this would all be a dream. She wouldn’t be here with him, asleep in his arms. Despite the horrific events that took place, he’d never been happier or more relaxed than right now.

“I love you, mi Luna,” he whispered to her, “and I will never lose you again.” Frankie gently kissed the top of her head before leaning back against the pillows. He didn’t want to think about anything else, except what his life was going to be like now that she was going to be a permanent fixture in it. He didn’t want to think about Liam, about New York, or even the text he received from his CO in the middle of the reception. He especially didn’t want to think about what these new charges would do to his current status back on base. Right now, all that mattered was his Luna, curled up in his arms, safe from all harm.

**Translations**

  * Abre la puerta. - Open the door.
  * Cualquier cosa para ti. - Anything for you.




	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Frankie’s relationship still has a few hurdles to overcome before they can be together. For now, they’re just going to enjoy the time they have left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some smut and fluff for you!

_“The Sun could feel her peaceful soul and it soon became clear.”_

Frankie woke up first, only because his arm had fallen asleep. He could feel the numbness moving up from his fingertips and with every movement, it was getting worse. He glanced down at her, not wanting to disturb the image of perfection, but he couldn’t take it any longer. Slowly, he pulled his arm out from under her and rolled onto his back. He sighed and moved his fingers to try and stimulate circulation again. She groaned and stretched, her cast hitting the headboard and startling her awake. Elena’s eyes fluttered open and she looked at her cast as a tear ran down her cheek. She held it to her chest, trying her best not to cry as the memories from the night before flooded back to her. She tried to discreetly wipe her eyes with the sheet as she rolled away from Frankie, praying he didn’t see her. 

He did. And he rolled back over, pulling her into his arms to hold her against him. He entwined his leg with hers, enveloping her with his body. “You’re safe now,” he said, “so now, you never have to cry another tear again.”

She rested her hand on his and sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I’m sorry it took me so long to see the truth that had been staring at me in the face for a long time.” She brought his hand up to her lips and planted a soft kiss on his knuckles.

Frankie just held her closer to him, letting her deal with her grief while showing her she was not alone. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”

Elena turned to face him, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him next to her. She ran her injured hand lightly down his face so she didn’t scratch him with her cast. She heard his phone vibrate on the nightstand, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Will we ever get a moment of peace?” he hissed, cursing his phone.

She softly kissed him before rolling out of bed. He grabbed his phone and saw Santiago’s name flashing across the screen. “What?” he barked.

Santi laughed at the other end of the line. “Gloria’s making breakfast, which means the two of you are expected to already be here.”

He sighed. “We’ll be there soon.”

“Let me guess,” she said walking out of the bathroom, “my mother beckons us.”

He rolled over on his side to gaze at her. “Exactly, but I’m sure she won’t mind if we are a little late.” His eyes traveled up and down her body hungrily.

She blushed when she noticed his gaze. “You know if we are late, they’re all going to hound us,” she said, seductively moving closer to the bed.

“They already hounded us yesterday, we might as well get used to it,” he smiled.

She climbed across the bed and straddled him, leaning down to kiss his ravenous lips. He smiled against her and ran his hands down her sides. She pulled away for a second and looked at him. “Are you really going to come to New York with me?” she beamed.

He nodded. “Of course,” he said, “I’ll go wherever you ask me to.”

“Let’s leave tomorrow,” she said.

“Cualquier cosa para ti, mi Luna,” he smiled. 

Elena rolled off him and grabbed the bag Rae packed for her. She found a pair of jean shorts and another t-shirt. He watched her as she wiggled her hips and pulled her shorts up over them. Her little dance was so endearing to him. She peeked over her shoulder at him and grinned. “Enjoying the show there, Morales?”

He laughed and stood up, wrapping his arms around her waist and swaying with her. “It’s my favorite,” he breathed against her neck. 

She leaned back against him, resting her head on his shoulder. With her eyes closed, she could concentrate on the feel of his arms around her, his body pressed into hers. She felt safe. She ran her hands across his arms and smiled. Slowly, she spun around and tossed her arms around his neck, planting a soft kiss on his lips. “Mi Sol,” she whispered, “thank you for saving me.”

He smiled and kissed her back. His heart was so full that he thought the seams would burst. Frankie was overflowing with love and affection for Elena as he gazed at her. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was where he belonged, home.

***

They pulled into the driveway behind Santi’s car and glanced at each other. Frankie looked down at the floorboards and smiled. “What?” she laughed.

“I always wanted to be able to walk into this house and ask your mother and father for their blessing,” his smile faded, “and Mama told me that Pops gave it to me the week before he died.”

Elena felt a tear fall down her cheek as she grabbed his hand in hers. “It’s about time the two of you get here,” Gloria shouted from the porch. 

Startled, they both looked up and saw her standing there with her arms folded. Laughing, they hopped out of the truck, wrapped their arms around one another, and made their way inside. 

“How are you feeling this morning?” Gloria asked as she held her daughter in a tight hug.

“My arm and ribs are still sore,” she replied, “but better.”

She ran her hand lightly over the bandage on Elena’s forehead. “That bastard,” she spat. Gloria turned to Frankie, kissed his cheek, and wrapped him in her arms. “If Elliott were here, he would have killed Liam himself. He would be so proud of you.”

He smiled. “That motherfucker isn’t going to touch mi Luna again.”

She grinned and stepped to the side. “You two better head in before Santi and Benny eat all the food.”

They laughed and stepped into the house. Just like old times, chatter filled the house. As soon as they came into view of the dining room table, everyone cheered. Elena looked around and smiled at everyone of them, happier than she had been in years. Frankie held her chair out next to Rae for her before taking a seat next to her. Benny jumped up and ran into the kitchen, only to return with a Sharpie. “I’ve been waiting all morning to do this,” he said, grabbing her arm from across the table. 

He scribbled out “UNDER THE PROTECTION OF DELTA FORCE” in big letters before signing his name under it. She laughed at it and looked at him. “Let me guess,” she said, “a warning from anyone who decides to fuck with me.”

Benny grinned at her and passed the marker to Will, who gladly signed next to his brother’s name. Santi and Tom followed suit before handing it to Frankie. He signed next to the rest of his squad before writing his own personal message on the inside of her cast. “Here’s to looking at you, kid. - Tú Sol.”

She glanced up at him and smiled. “Ever the romantic,” she said before kissing him.

Everyone at the table gagged and then roared in laughter. “Santi, Frankie,” Gloria called from the kitchen, “the two of you better get in here and help me serve.”

They jumped out of their seat to help Gloria set the table for breakfast. Rae turned to look at Elena who was beaming from ear to ear as she watched as the two of them looked more domesticated than ever as they set the table. She leaned against her best friend and sighed. “It’s going to be hard when they leave again,” she said.

Elena shot a quick glance over to her. “What?”

Rae felt her blood run cold. “They are leaving at the end of September,” she slowly replied.

She looked around the table at Tom, Benny, Will, and finally her eyes fell on Santi and Frankie. She felt the same panicked feeling she’d had when she first learned he was enlisting. Elena suddenly felt a chill come over her as her breaths were becoming short and quick. Her heart started racing and suddenly the breaths stopped all together. She was gasping for air. She reached for Rae’s hand to squeeze it as she tried to calm herself. She wasn’t sure why she was so affected by this news, because the guys had been deployed before. But now? She was having the worst panic attack she’d had in years, and she couldn’t ground herself to stop it from escalating.

Frankie set the bowl of eggs down and was laughing at something Santiago said when he saw the pale ghost that had replaced Elena. Rae looked between him and Santi for help. All the guys took notice, but Frankie pushed everyone out of his way. He grabbed her hands in his. “Luna,” he said softly, “just breathe. Slow deep breaths.”

She could hardly hear him over the rush of blood pounding in her ears, but she did her best to follow his instructions. She felt her breathing become more regular as she focused on Frankie in front of her, but she was no longer in her mother’s house. She had been transported to that night he left. The last night she saw him before he was gone for ten years, and suddenly his breathing exercises weren’t working. “What did you say to her?” he glared at Rae.

“Nothing. I just said it’s going to be hard when you all leave next month.”

“Fuck,” he said, “I hadn’t told her yet.” He placed his hands on her legs and ran his thumb up and down her thigh. “Luna, slow deep breaths.” He held her face and kissed her forehead. “In,” he said, breathing in with her, “and out.” 

She nodded and continued breathing with him until she was able to calm down. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked down at him. Elena was feeling a lot of emotions all at once as she glanced around the room. Santi came and knelt next to Frankie and glanced up at her. “‘Lena,” he whispered, “it’s just routine. We won’t be gone long.”

She shook her head and put her attention back on Frankie. She still couldn’t find the words as she glared at him; fear, pain, and anger flooding her eyes with tears. “No,” Frankie said, “it’s me. I caused this.”

Gloria handed them a glass of water to give to Elena, who just sipped on it as she continued to give Frankie the same look. “I doubt this was all your fault,” she said.

He shook his head. “No,” he added, “it is.”

Elena set her glass on the table and slowly stood up. She held her hands up to signal she didn’t want help or anyone to touch her. “Excuse me,” she softly trembled. 

She walked out of the dining room and out onto the front porch for some fresh air while everyone stared at Frankie. “It’s not like I’ve had time to tell her,” he retorted. He waited a moment more before chasing after her. This time, he was not going to lose her because he was an idiot. “Luna,” he calmly chimed. 

She was sitting on the porch swing and looked out over the yard, ignoring him. 

“Luna,” he begged, “I found out last night in the middle of the rehearsal. With everything that’s…”

“I’m not upset you didn’t tell me,” she interrupted, “I just…”

She covered her face and shook her head, trying to keep her emotions bottled up. She took a deep breath and her tears seemed to stop. She stood up to walk back inside, but Frankie stopped her. “Talk to me,” he pleaded.

She tried to keep her walls up, just as she did for so many years, and so far, it was working. “What do you want me to say, Frankie?”

“I just want to know what you’re thinking.”

Elena looked up in his eyes and gave him the same feigned smile he was familiar with. “I’ll deal with it.”

He refused to let her walk back in the house. “Luna, no. I lost you ten years ago, because I was a fucking moron. Now, I have you back. Whatever you’re dealing with, we now deal with _together_. If I hurt you, tell me, because I never want to be the reason tears fall down your face in pain, again. I love you too much to lose you like this again.”

Her fake smile faded and she glanced up at him, uncertain about how to proceed. The last time he left, she was not granted this courtesy. “I understand why you couldn’t tell me,” she slowly replied, “things have been a little hectic. It’s just, I started thinking about the last time you left me. I promised myself I would never get that low again, and I was afraid it was going to happen. Things started piling on rapidly. I was afraid of what would happen if you didn’t come back, if…”

She dropped her eyes, and suddenly he understood. “Nothing’s going to happen,” he said, “Te prometo, mi amor.”

Elena wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “If you don’t write to me every day…”

“I will write to you every moment of every day I think of you,” he vowed, kissing the top of her head. 

She hugged him tighter before letting go. He wrapped his arms around her and led her back into the house. Santi walked over to her and gave her a tight hug. “Te amo, hermanita,” he said.

She grinned at him. “Te amo, hermano.”

They sat back down and began to dig into the delicious breakfast Gloria had fixed. Benny reached across the table for some bacon. “So,” he said mid-bite, “when are we all heading to New York?”

Elena laughed. “ _We_?”

“Luna,” Frankie said as he placed some sausage on his plate, “didn’t you hear Will say they’re all coming up to help Liam move out.”

She shook her head. “I honestly don’t remember that.”

“Except, we are _all_ getting a different hotel than them,” Santi said.

Tom leaned forward. “I have to stop by and see my girl first, so I’ll meet you all there.”

“We are booking our flight tomorrow,” Frankie added.

Rae grabbed her phone. “I found a hotel. Two rooms?”

“Please,” Will said, “we don’t want to share with you and Pope.”

She rolled her eyes. “Booked.”

Benny grabbed another biscuit off the tray and lathered it in gravy. “I can get the tickets. Frankie, Elena, don’t worry about yours.”

“Benny,” Elena protested.

He held his hands up to stop her. “I insist.”

She smiled at him. “Then, you all have to come eat at _Sol’s_. It’s on the house.”

Everyone of them looked at Frankie and laughed, clearly mocking him for her nickname for him also being the name of her restaurant. He blushed and shook his head. “I’m now regretting inviting you assholes,” he said.

“You don’t _own_ New York, Catfish,” Benny said.

“Thank you for the tickets, Benny,” Elena interrupted as she leaned into Frankie. 

He tossed his arm around her shoulder and let out a contented sigh. Glancing around the table, he saw everyone that mattered most to him in his life. His best friends, his brother, and the love of his life all under one roof. Frankie had never been so happy, and the longer he looked around the more emotional he felt. He lightly squeezed her shoulder before leaning forward and returning to his food. 

***

After Elena finished packing her things, they drove back to the lake house. She set her bags down in the master and headed out onto the porch to sit in the Adirondack chair. Frankie happily followed her and sat in the one next to her. She sighed and leaned her head back against the chair, slowly closing her eyes. He glanced over at her, smiling at her and finally finding his own peace. Somehow, this lake house he’d been a stranger to for years was now his home. “I was thinking,” she softly said, “what if we don’t stay in Manhattan.”

“What do you mean?”

She opened her eyes and looked at him. “That vision for your future,” she started, a tear rolling down her cheek, “it’s the same vision I’ve had for a long time. Even down to us sneaking out and stargazing on the dock.”

His smile grew wider. “But, Luna,” he continued, “what about your restaurant?”

She shrugged. “I’d sell to Cal, keep the name, and open one down here.”

He reached for her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles. “Nothing would make me happier,” he hummed, “but you love your life in New York. I don’t want to be the reason you give up everything…”

She turned to face him. “Francisco Morales,” she said, her eyebrows knitted together, “everything I love is down here: my family, my friends, you. I’m not about to stay almost two thousand miles away from all of you for the rest of my life. When we start that family we _both_ dreamed of, I want to be close to all of this. I want to sneak out of the house late at night and lay on the dock with you, reminiscing on how wonderful our life is. I’ve put a lot of thought into this, and I want to move back here. _Especially_ with you leaving next month.”

He felt a twinge in his heart when he was reminded that he’d have to leave her. “We can’t live here,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him and smiled. “Yes,” she added, “we can. We can start fixing it up, making it a home. Who knows, while you’re gone I might completely redo the whole place myself.”

Frankie stood up and pulled her into his arms, gently pinning her against the railing. “As long as I have you and a warm bed to come back to,” he devilishly grinned, leaning closer to her, “you can do whatever else you want to this place.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, consciously taking care to make sure her cast didn’t rub against him. Her smile started to fade the longer she looked at him as she realized that she’d be losing him for a little while. After getting him back in her life, she’d have to live without him again. Elena leaned forward and rested her forehead on his. “How long am I going to have to live here alone?” she breathed.

Frankie sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying her presence. When he saw the text from his CO to report back to back at the end of September, he knew it was one of two things. The fact that all of them received the text meant he was going to be gone. For a while. “I wish I could tell you, Luna,” he replied, “it could be anywhere from a few months to a year.”

Elena gasped and held him to her. After spending ten years away from him, she thought she’d be able to handle this; she was wrong. “A year?”

“I don’t know what it is that they want us to do, but if I want to keep my piloting license, I am going to do everything they ask me to right now.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her, as if he was afraid she’d disappear if he let go. “It’s going to kill me to leave,” he continued, “but I’m doing this for us.”

“I know you are,” she whispered, “this comes with the territory of being with someone in the military. I’m just going to miss you so much while you’re gone.”

He leaned back to look down into her beautiful, green eyes. “I won’t make you wait long.”

Elena smiled at him. “I would wait forever, mi Sol. Even if you told me not to.”

Frankie felt a twinge in his heart when she said that, but he knew now, the past ten years didn’t matter. They were together now. He placed his hand under her chin and kissed her softly first and then passionately. She draped her one arm over his shoulder as the other wandered into his hair, to which she gave a light tug. That drew out a deep moan from him as he leaned her back, against the porch railing. He moved his mouth down her jaw and neck until he was buried in the crook of her neck. She let out a low whimper as his soft lips made contact with the sensitive skin. 

Her hand wandered down to his waist band, and she tugged on his belt. Elena felt Frankie’s mouth smile against her skin. His hands followed the same path, except down her body, where he flicked open the button of her shorts in one swift movement. She laughed and then let out a soft gasp as his hand made its way into her shorts, feeling just how ready for him she was. The sensation just about drove him crazy. He gently pushed the bottom half of her outfit down her hips and threw one leg around his waist as his hand went back to drawing out more of the most beautiful noises he’s ever heard. He ran his finger around her entrance as he slowly rubbed his palm against the rest of her. She let out an unrestrained moan as she ground her hips against his hand. He entered a finger into her, causing her to bite her bottom lip. She opened her eyes and gazed into his deep brown ones as she let out another whine. “Oh god, mi Sol,” she breathed, “I need more.”

He kissed her again with more fervor and entered another finger, moving and stretching her. She whimpered against his mouth as he curled inside her, massaging her walls by rubbing in slow, methodic circles. She gripped his other arm with her freed hand and leaned back against the railing. She ground her hips against his palm more the longer he spent torturing her with his fingers. He could feel her clenching around him and shuddering at his touch. “That’s it, Luna,” he said, his voice an octave deeper, “come for me. I want to hear you come for me.”

Her breathing was labored as she tried to hold on, enjoying the feeling of his fingers inside of her, but she couldn’t do it any longer. She let out a loud plea as she felt the wave of pleasure wash over her, followed by his name and a few curses. “Fuck, Frankie,” she whispered, kissing him, “you’re incredible.”

Frankie smiled and kissed her again. “I look forward to living up to that for the rest of our lives.”

She felt her breath catch up to her as she placed her hand on his chest. She didn’t say a word as she lightly pushed him back to the chair behind him. He felt his calves hit it, but paused as her hands traveled to his belt and slowly undid it. Elena took his lead and pushed his jeans down past his hips. She looked down at him and licked her lips before forcing him to sit down. She slid her legs on either side of him, tucking them under the arm rests, as she straddled him. She could feel him under her, ready for the exact movement she wanted, except now she was in total control of the situation. She leaned down and kissed him as she craned her neck and kissed down his neck and jaw. His breathing picked up as she lightly moved her body over him, sending chills throughout him. She let her free hand wander down his chest and stop just before the length beneath her. She raised up just a little before lining him up under her. 

Together, they let out strained cries as she sat still for just a moment to adjust. She smiled at him. “I think I can get used to you being a lot more than expected every time.”

Pride poured from him as she felt him twitch inside of her. His hands rested on her hips as she rocked back and forth. The first slow movement drew out of him her favorite sound, the deep, guttural noise reserved for just her. He leaned his head back and let out a long breath. “Fuck, Luna,” he growled, “you feel so _fucking_ good.”

She smiled at him and bit her lip again as she continued to ride him at a slow, excruciating pace. She rose up just a little on him before sliding back down. He let out a low hiss as his eyes locked with hers. She moved her hips in circular movement as she ground herself against him. “Frankie,” she mewled, “Frankie.”

His grip on her hips tightened as he helped her with the pace. She leaned down and kissed him as she moved faster. He hungrily worked her lips until she opened her mouth to welcome him. Elena continued to rock back and forth against him and he found just the right position to thrust into her. Their cries and pants filled the air around them as they moved together. She arched her back and felt the heat between them build. Her body felt so good moving against his as he felt her velvety walls contracting around him. Frankie had never felt something so amazing in his life. He never wanted this feeling to end as he watched her control every movement they made. 

He wrapped his arm around her waist as he continued to meet her momentum. He could feel her start to shudder, meaning she was close. Her walls warmly squeezed against him, drawing out of him another rough grunt as she slowly started to pull every last bit out of him. He held on for as long as he could, wanting her to finish first. “Right there, Frankie,” she praised as he pushed up into her so deep there was nothing left of him.

“More?”

She whined and nodded. “Yeah,” she breathed.

He leaned into her chest as he thrust faster into her and she ground her hips against him harder. He licked his thumb and rested it on her clit, causing the right amount of friction to send her over the edge. She grabbed his shoulders as she used her leverage to ride him harder. He let out a drawn-out growl as he felt himself start to drip into her. She let out an extended wail as she came, her walls clasped on around him, massaging his length. He continued to hold on as long as he could to let her ride out her orgasm, but her sounds were enough to bring him to. She felt the warmth spread inside her as he came with a strangled moan, suddenly his movements becoming more rigid and stiff as she felt her body still clenching around him, until she’d absorbed every bit of him.

She rested her forehead against his as she continued to sit on his lap with him inside her. They smiled at each other as they tried to catch their breaths. “Did I say incredible?” she said between kisses, “I meant phenomenal.”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, causing him to move a little and her to whimper. “Me? You’re hands down the most astonishing woman I’ve ever been with.”

She blushed and looked down at where they connected. “I could stay like this the rest of the day.”

“Trust me,” he laughed, “so could I.”

Elena continued to rest her forehead against his as they closed their eyes and enjoyed their deeply intimate connection. “I love you, Francisco Morales,” she said in a soft whisper.

He kissed her again, this time catching her mouth by surprise as he slowly, sensually ran his tongue into hers. “I love you, Elena Bohannon, more than you know,” he replied, “and I plan on showing you every day how much you mean to me. I’m going to make up for all the years we’ve had to spend apart because of me.”

She gently placed both of her hands on either side of his face. “The last ten years is both of our faults. Don’t act like it’s solely yours. I could have easily picked up the phone or sent a letter back with Santi for you. That is in the past. We had to go through the last ten years alone before we were ready to be together. Now, we are together, expressing our love in the most intimate way we know how. Let’s vow to let go of the pain and hurt of the last decade and enjoy being in each other’s arms whenever we want. Because in this moment, you’re inside the woman who loves you more than she’s loved anyone in the entire world. The sun and the moon have finally come together and there’s nothing in the heavens that can rip them apart.”

Frankie wrapped his arms around her to pull her against his chest as he kissed her with more passion than he ever had. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” he said with a tear in his eye.

“Mi Sol,” she whispered against his lips, “you deserve the entire universe. And I’ll be happy to be the one that strives to give it to you everyday. You are truly the love of my life.”

She rested her head against his chest as he held her close, still feeling the warmth of her body around him. “Eres mi corazón y mi alma, mi Luna.” He kissed the top of her head and absorbed this moment with every sense he could. The sight of her in his arms; her aroma mixed with the scents of nature; the feel of her body wrapped around his; her moans still ringing in his ears; her taste still lingering on his lips. He cursed his CO for forcing him to leave her at the end of next month, because it was going to be moments like this he missed more than anything. He held onto her tighter, lightly rubbing her back with his hands and trying to will away the thoughts of having to leave her again. “Te amo, el amor de mi vida,” he whispered into her hair, wishing this moment could last the rest of their lives.

**Translations**

  * _Cualquier cosa para ti. - Anything for you._
  * _Te prometo. - I promise you._
  * _Te amo, el amor de mi vida. - I love you, love of my life._
  * _Eres mi corazón y mi alma. - You are my heart and soul._




	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone pitches in to help Elena move out of her New York apartment. Still stuck in their endless bliss, Frankie and Elena have to come to terms with his upcoming absence.

_“He would die each and every night…”  
_

The sun shone through the curtains in her apartment, beams dancing across her face and kissing her awake. She could almost feel the warmth of the early August morning. Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled over to look away from the sun as she stretched across her bed. Lazily, she reached out across her expensive Egyptian Cotton sheets looking for him. Elena found his warm body and curled up against him, running her hand through his messy locks and nuzzling her head against his chest. She peered around the room, still sleepy and a little sore from the night before. Her bedroom was a disaster: clothes thrown everywhere, blankets on the floor. She smiled at the memory; no wonder she was still so tired.

He stirred in her arms and instinctively wrapped his around her, holding her closer. He kissed the top of her head and let out a long, contented sigh. “How did I get so lucky?” he whispered against her hair.

She smiled and wrapped her leg through his. “I think I should be asking that,” she replied.

Frankie ran his thumb up and down her arm and leaned his head back against the one pillow that was left on his side of the bed. Elena glanced up at him and kissed his jaw, which drew a smile from him. “Let’s just stay here for the rest of the day,” she said, kissing him again as she rolled on top of him.

He laughed at her as the sheet fell away from her bare body. “You’re definitely in a position to persuade me to do just about anything right now,” he laughed, running his hands up and down her sides, “but you know Rae and the guys will be here soon to help you start packing.”

She gave him a coy smile as she leaned down to lightly kiss him. Elena slowly sat up and gazed down at Frankie with love pouring from her. She felt a tear running down her cheek as she continued to smile at him. “What is it, mi Luna?” he asked, wiping the tear away.

She leaned into his palm and beamed at him. “I just can’t believe it took me this long to finally have everything I’ve ever wanted,” she sighed, “to have you.”

He cracked a small smile at her. “I can’t believe after all the shit I’ve done, all my sins I’ve committed, I’ve been reunited with you.” Frankie sat up under her and gently held her face in his hands as he kissed her. His hands slowly slid down her body, lightly dancing over her breasts, before cupping her ass and giving it a soft squeeze. Elena let out a small yelp before she laughed. “I don’t want to start something, though, only for Pope to interrupt in his usual fashion.”

She laughed again and kissed him. “He is really good at that, isn’t he?”

There was a loud knock coming from the other side of the apartment. “Speak of the devil,” he said.

They untangled themselves and rolled out of bed. She wrapped a sheet around herself and watched Frankie quickly pull his jeans so he could answer the door for her. He smiled and winked at her before closing the bedroom door behind him. The hardwood was a little cold on his feet as he made his way through her apartment. This was a different Luna that he knew. It was cold, sterile almost. Everything was white, grey, or black. It was sleek and sophisticated, for sure, but there was nothing homey about her apartment. She had obviously done well for herself to afford such a polished and expensive lifestyle. The loud knock came again, and he sighed and laughed to himself. “Jesus, Pope,” he said, “I swear you have the worst…” he froze as he opened the door, “timing.”

In front of him stood the one person he hated more than anything, and he’d seen his fair share of villains and monsters in the world. Frankie felt his blood pressure spike as he clenched and unclenched his fist. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, the words sliding out between his teeth.

Liam glared at his nemesis, half dressed in _his_ apartment. “I live here,” he spat, “but _she_ changed the locks.”

Frankie tensed again at his tone. “You’re breaking the restraining order just by being here,” he growled, trying to keep his temper under control.

“Actually,” he gloated, “the date of the order gave me a week to move out of here. So, I’m in violation of nothing for another five days.”

Several voices carried down the hallway as they stood there with the door open. Frankie could barely hear Benny’s voice over the rushing sound of blood in his ears. “All I’m saying,” he laughed, “is we are here too early, and Frankie is going to kill us.”

The five of them froze behind Liam and stared directly at Frankie. “Shit,” Santi said under his breath. 

Rae watched all of them tense up at the sight, ready to all lunge at the asshole in front of them. She slowly stepped around Liam and past Frankie to find Elena. She knocked on the door before calmly walking into her bedroom. Elena was moving about the room gathering blankets and clothes off the floor. She turned and smiled at Rae. “Hey,” she grinned, “I was trying to clean up before you guys got here.”

Rae cracked a small smile and closed the door behind her. “Let’s start packing in here for a little while,” she replied.

Elena set the bundle in her arms on the bed. “Why?” she asked, concerned.

She took a deep breath and said, “Liam is here.”

Elena felt her blood run cold as fear crept through her. Frankie was out there, with the rest of the guys who were all ready to kill Liam for what he did. She glanced down at her wrist that started throbbing through her cast. Suddenly, she felt her breath leave her body and cold sweats start. Rae recognized the panicked look in her eyes, and she cracked open the door and called for Frankie. 

He turned on his heel and ran towards the bedroom. He could tell by the strain in her voice that something was wrong. As soon as he walked into the room, Elena’s eyes found his and she leapt into his arms. Rae stepped out to give them privacy. “Why is he here?” she cried.

“He’s here to move out,” he added, “the guys are watching him in the living room. He’s not allowed back here until we are done.” Frankie held her close and kissed the top of her head. “He’s not going to touch you anymore. I’ll fucking kill him if he even steps in your direction.”

She gazed up at him. “Most of the stuff here, I don’t want. He can have it all, because he picked it all out. I just need to pack my clothes and the top drawer of my night stand.”

“I’ll have Rae grab some boxes, and you can clean out your nightstand,” he smiled.

Elena grabbed his hand and led him over to her side of the bed. She sat down on the side and opened up the top drawer where he saw a small book, a small box, and a picture of the two of them from years ago. He reached into the drawer and picked up the image and smiled. “Wasn’t this taken the day we moved you into your dorm?”

She nodded and wiped a tear away. “Yes,” she sighed, “you stayed that night and we marathoned our favorites. Rae was so pissed, because she couldn’t sleep.”

He sat down next to her on the bed and leaned into her shoulder. “Oh yeah,” he laughed, “you fell asleep after the third movie, and I didn’t want to move because I was afraid you’d wake up. My arm fell asleep at one point. I was so glad you moved in your sleep so I could get the circulation flowing again.”

Elena looked over at him. “That was the last time we were happy together,” she lamented, “until now.”

Frankie wrapped an arm around her and held her close while he continued looking at the picture. “You know how you gave me a copy?”

She nodded.

“I keep it in my chopper,” he added.

Elena’s heart soared. “No matter how hurt I was, I never really was able to let you go. And I think that’s why Liam was so angry when he found this photo.”

Frankie tensed and looked at her, moving a strand of loose hair out of her face. He placed his hand on the back of her head and softly kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you packed so we can go home.”

A large smile spread across her face. “Home,” she whispered, leaning into him.

There was a soft knock on the door as Rae cracked it open. “Will ran downstairs to security to see if they had any boxes we could use to ship your clothes,” she said, “He brought back a ton.”

She slid off the bed. Without thinking, she bypassed Rae and walked into the living room to retrieve the boxes. Elena saw Liam sitting on the couch as her heart raced a little. She saw his eyes widen as he stared at her cast, and instantly he stood up. The rest of them stood in protest as Liam made his way towards her. “‘Lena,” he whispered, reaching out for her. “Oh, God. ‘Lena, I’m so sorry.”

She moved away from his grasp and glared at him. Frankie was standing at the end of the hallway, pulling a shirt over his head as he watched Liam like a hawk. “Don’t, Liam,” she said, “you can’t touch me anymore.”

He took another step forward, and the guys inched forward ready to grab him. “Please,” he said, “just talk to me. Can’t we go somewhere private to have this conversation?”

She cradled her arm, her gaze sending daggers through him. “We’re done talking. Pack your shit and get the fuck out of my apartment before I let them off their relatively loose leashes,” she replied, indicating the attack dogs behind him. 

Liam slowly turned and saw the grimaces on each of their faces before his eyes made their way back to Frankie. Frankie glowered at him, fire burning behind his dark eyes. He took several steps closer until he was standing behind Elena. He leaned down and grabbed two large boxes. “Do you want me to start in the closet?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Liam.

She turned and smiled at him. “Please fold them, at least. And don’t put my shoes in the same box.”

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Rae will help me.”

Elena turned to Rae. “Please,” she begged, “Santi and the boys are going to help me go through my books.”

Benny grumbled under his breath and rolled his eyes in jest. “You always keep me around for the heavy lifting.”

She looked past Liam and smiled. “It’s the _only_ reason I keep you around.”

Liam cleared his throat to get her attention back on him. “Elena,” he demanded, “seriously? Are you just going to stand there and ignore me? This is our home. Don’t you think we should at least be doing this together?”

She laughed at him. It started out as a fake laugh, but then she couldn’t help herself. She wrapped her arm around her waist to keep herself together as she calmed down. “Seriously?” she responded. “For starters, this apartment is in my name. Which is ironic, since I don’t own half the shit in here. _None_ of this furniture is mine. I’m taking my clothes, my books, and that’s it. You can keep everything else for all I care.”

“Did the last four years mean that little to you?” his voice raised a little.

Will stepped between them. “Liam, back off,” he said calmly, “it’s over between the two of you.”

Liam puffed out his chest and stepped toward him. “What are you going to do about it, _Ironhead_?” He grinned as he watched Will tense in front of him, struggling to keep his temper under control. “That’s what I thought. Try anything, and I’ll report your ass. At least Frankie will have company.”

Tom stepped behind Liam and grabbed his shoulder. “I’m going to suggest you leave, now, before we all take a turn to put you in your place.”

He glared at Tom before finding a seat on the couch near the window and away from everyone. Tom turned to Elena and gave her a quick grin. “So, your books?”

“In the office. They’re on the shelves behind the desk.”

Santi walked up next to her and tossed his arm around her shoulders. “Why do we go check on Rae and Frankie? Make sure he’s doing what he’s supposed to.”

She laughed and walked down the hall with him. They cracked the door open to hear Rae and Frankie bickering. “Heel to Toe, Francisco. You’ll save more room that way!”

“What does it matter?” he complained, his voice coming from the deep walk-in closet, “The box is going to be tossed around in shipping anyway!”

She sighed. “Because, this will help them _not_ do that and you can fit more in the box.”

Silence. There was some shuffling coming from their direction as Frankie packed more shoes.

“Heel,” Rae stressed, “to toe!”

“You know what?” he huffed, “you do the shoes. I quit.”

He stormed out of the closet and shook his head. Elena and Santiago were standing in the doorway chuckling at him. “She’s so stubborn,” he said.

Elena walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “You’re one to talk, mi amor,” she jested, kissing his nose.

Santi laughed. “I’ll go help her. If I go piss her off, she’ll forget about your incompetence.”

Frankie snickered as he watched him disappear into a closet that almost doubled as another room. “Those two were made for each other,” he whispered.

“I don’t know how we missed it,” she agreed. Elena turned out of his arms and headed for her dresser. 

She opened the top drawer and started emptying the contents onto her bed. Frankie sat down next to her pile and picked up a little white negligee that he saw tangled between some of her more lacy bras. He held up the delicate fabric between his hands as the straps draped over his fingers. She had her back to him as he glanced up at her with a curious look, imagining her wearing this when they arrived back home. Elena turned around, her arms full of clothes. She dropped them on the bed and gasped. “Francisco Morales, put that down,” she commanded, almost embarrassed. 

He gave her a devilish grin. “I’ll make sure _this_ is packed in your suitcase.”

She lunged for it, but he fell back against the bed, keeping his hands above his head and out of her reach. “Give me that,” she growled, straddling him.

He glanced down his body at her and then up into her eyes. “You know we aren’t alone in this room, right?”

She choked back a laugh and shook her head as she slid off him and continued to unload her dresser. “Fine, then,” she glared, “put it in my suitcase.”

Frankie walked by her, gloating, as he neatly folded the lingerie and placed it in her suitcase by the balcony door. 

The boxes were taped and sealed after a few hours of packing. Everyone sat in the living room, waiting for Liam to grab his few things before he headed out of the apartment. He’d mumbled something about coming back to get everything else, but Elena didn’t care. She was leaving New York and never looking back. As soon as he was gone, she stood and stretched. “I don’t know about all of you,” she said, “but I am starving, and I know just the place to go.”

“ _Sol’s_!” Benny exclaimed, bumping his shoulder against Frankie.

She laughed and nodded. “It’s only a short walk from here,” she added, grabbing her purse and keys. “Dinner’s on the house!”

***

Elena led the way into the packed, well lit restaurant. Everyone noticed how the patrons moved out of her way once they realized a local celebrity was in their presence. Frankie heard several of them whisper amongst themselves who she was and some of the accolades she’d received, being one of the youngest chefs and restaurant owners to earn a Michelin Star. He felt his chest swell with pride as he saw her immediately change into the Elena he heard people mumbling about. “Hey, Suzy,” she said as she approached the hostess, “make sure my guests here are set up in the military booth. Dinner is on me.”

Suzy, a cute blonde in a sleek black dress, smiled at the group and grabbed a handful of menus. “Right this way,” she said, leading them back to the private booth she’d told Frankie about.

Elena walked towards the kitchen to find Cal. She made her way through the dining room, past several gracious patrons who managed to stop her and congratulate on her the success of Sol’s. She thanked them and moved swiftly, entering to find the well oiled machine she left behind. Servers floated in and out of her kitchen, calling orders and picking up plates as the chef set them down. She grinned at her work. This place was her pride and joy, and she couldn’t think of a better person to hand over the reins to. She walked to the back office and found Cal neck deep in invoices and receipts. He looked up at her the moment she opened the door. “‘Lena!” he exclaimed, rushing to her. “How was the wedding?” He glanced down at her cast and stopped. “What…uhhmm, what happened?”

She sighed. “It’s a long story, followed by a happy ending. Let’s just say Liam and I are done.”

His eyebrows jumped so high that they disappeared into his hairline. “Did he do this? Oh, I will fucking end him.”

Elena laughed. “You and all of Delta Force.”

He examined her cast and saw all the names scribbled across it. “How sweet…” Cal trailed off as he saw Frankie’s name scribbled in the middle. “Is this that Frankie who wrote the letter?”

She tried to contain her smile, but it was no use. A wide grin crawled across her face as she sheepishly looked at Cal. “I told you it was followed by a happy ending.”

“Oh, I _have_ to meet him.”

“They’re all here and sitting in his booth.”

Without a second thought, Cal ran out of the office to find this group. He’d already met the rest of them, so he was more anxious to meet Frankie. Elena followed after him, hoping to catch him before he wept at Frankie’s feet for getting rid of Liam. However, he stopped at the kitchen door and peered out of the window. “Is that him in the hat?” he whispered to her.

“That would be him.”

He turned and looked at her with a grin. “You let _that_ go ten years ago?”

“You’re _really_ funny, Cal. Do you want to meet him or not?”

Frankie looked around the table at all the military memorabilia that decorated this large corner booth. She wasn’t lying when she said the newspaper article of him receiving his Medal was framed and in the center of everything. Will pointed it out to the rest of the group, but this time no one jested. Despite it celebrating his accomplishments, it was just another reminder of what he had to give up to achieve it. 

He glanced back at the kitchen doors and saw her approaching with a tall, blonde man. He was giggling behind her and whispering something to her. Before she was close to their table she turned around and lightly whacked him with her cast. “Stop,” she chuckled. She turned to the group and sighed. “Everyone, you remember Cal.”

They all waved and said hi, and he obviously swooned at Santi’s grin, that is until she turned his attention to Frankie. “Cal, I want you to meet someone very important to me. This is Frankie Morales.”

Cal held out his hand for Frankie to grab and he pulled him out of his seat to wrap him in a huge hug. “Thank you,” he whispered to him, “for saving her. I knew it would take the force of God to get her to leave him, and I’m glad that was you.”

Frankie laughed nervously, hugging him back. “That motherfucker is never coming around her again.”

He let go of Frankie and smiled at Elena. “Oh! I like this one,” he grinned.

Frankie slid into the booth next to Elena and tossed his arm around her. “Cal,” she said, “we will need to have a talk later. I figure it can be after close tonight.”

“Of course, dear,” he said squeezing her good hand, “I’ll send a waitress right over to help you.”

Cal scurried away leaving them to enjoy their meal. “Elena, this place is really nice,” Santiago said, “I’m sorry I’ve never made it up here before now.”

She blushed and grinned at him. “You’re here now.”

“Excuse me,” a young woman approached the table, “would you mind if we get a picture?”

Elena smiled at her and pushed Frankie out of her way. “I don’t mind at all,” she said. 

The young woman’s date took their picture. “Thank you, Ms. Bohannon. I’m currently in culinary school, and it’s been a goal of mine to eat here for the last two years.”

She grinned at her. “Where are you going to school?”

“CASA,” she sheepishly replied.

Elena laughed. “Tell Gustav if he gives you any problems, he’ll have to deal with me.”

Her eyes grew wide. “You know Chef Gustav?”

“Know him? We studied together. He couldn’t bake a soufflé to save his life!”

That brought out a soft chuckle from the woman. “Well, thank you for the photo. Have a wonderful dinner.”

Everyone at the table nodded, impressed at her. Frankie rose to let her scoot back in. “That’s only going to happen about eight more times tonight. Just let me sit on the outside.”

“You’re like a local celebrity,” Benny noted.

She nodded. “I’ve worked hard to get here, and I’ve accomplished a lot for someone of my age. It hasn’t gone unnoticed in New York and the culinary world. It’ll be nice to bring some of this home with me. I love this life, but it gets tiresome after awhile.”

Frankie couldn’t help but feel nothing but pride for her. He was finally able to see everything she’d done for herself, and there were no words to describe how happy he was that she had everything in the world she ever wanted. She thrived in this atmosphere, and he loved watching every second of it. “Are you sure you want to leave all this behind?” he asked.

She turned and gazed at him with nothing but certainty in her eyes. “Yes. I started my culinary dreams here. There’s nothing left for me to do, except expand. I can do that back home. Opening a restaurant in San Antonio with the backing that I have will bring another string of revenue into the area. I’ll see a profit return within at least a year - maybe eighteen months, and if I can get some of my high end friends to do reviews on the place, we’ll be on the map before long.” 

He wrapped an arm around her and held her close, kissing the side of her head. “Mi Luna,” he whispered into her ear. 

For the rest of the night, fans came and went as they enjoyed their meals. Cal occasionally checked in on them, making sure everything was up to Elena’s standards. The drinks kept coming as they continued to laugh and reminisce together. Santiago, at one point, gave a very sloppy toast to honor Elena and Frankie. “A toast,” he said a little too loud, “to these two. For as long as I’ve known you, I knew you two were made for one another. Despite recent events, I’m so happy to see my two best friends finally in a state of utter bliss. You both deserve this and much more. So, cheers to Frankie and ‘Lena.”

Everyone obliged and raised their glasses and toasted them, causing both Frankie and Elena to blush in embarrassment. Rae leaned into Santi, pulling his face down to her for a gentle kiss. “That was sweet of you,” she said.

“Does that mean later…?” he started, with a coy smile.

Rae rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. “I knew that moment wouldn’t last long.”

That caused the party to burst into laughter. And so the night progressed as the group of friends - no, family enjoyed each other’s company. They’d all seen so much together, and this was the perfect way for them to spend the last few moments together before their family was split again.

***

It was a cold September morning when Elena woke up. She could hear the sound of rain hitting the windows and the wind howling through the trees. The gloomy day perfectly aligned with how she was feeling now. Today, Frankie would be reporting back to base before leaving on an assignment. Tears flooded her eyes as she glanced over at him, asleep in their bed. For an unknown amount of days, she was going to have to wake up to an empty bed. No warm, muscular arms to reach out and hold her. No soft, reassuring words to comfort her to tell her everything was going to be okay. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close as she closed her eyes to force herself back to sleep. If she never woke up, then he wouldn’t have to leave. 

He had packed his bag the night before, and she could feel it staring at her from across the room, waiting to take Frankie away from her. She could feel the tears start to roll down her cheeks and wet his chest as she lost all control of the flood gates keeping them at bay. After spending ten years apart, she thought she would be able to handle this. But she was wrong. She didn’t handle the previous decade, and she definitely wouldn’t be handling this. The more she thought about him leaving, the tighter she held onto him.

Frankie was awake. He didn’t sleep at all that night. Instead, he just held her in his arms and wished for a time where he would never have to leave her again. But he knew, he had no choice. The Army owned his ass, and when they called, he had to come running. Her tears were the worst of it. He watched her try to hide them or cry alone, and that only made him feel worse. They just got each other back, and now Uncle Sam was coming to take him away again. “I’ll be back before you know it, mi Luna,” he whispered.

“I know,” she sniffled, “I’m just going to miss you more than you realize, mi Sol.”

He gave a half-hearted smile and picked her chin up with his hand. She rolled over and leaned against his chest to look down at him. “I think I know how much you will miss me.” He kissed her gently. “This time, when I write you a letter, I intend to keep writing them.”

She tried to smile at him before she kissed him again. They heard Santiago and the rest of the crew pile into the living room downstairs, and they both knew it was time. Slowly, they both rolled out of bed and dressed. Elena in her favorite sweatshirt of his, and Frankie in his Army uniform. She tried again, to give him a coy smile as she reached for him. “I’m not going to lie,” she said, “you do look sexy in that uniform.”

He pulled her into his arms and gave her a deep, ravenous kiss. “I’ll remember that when I come home.”

She laughed against his lips. “I’ll make sure I’m in that white little number you found in New York.”

Images flashed through his head as he remembered the last time she had that on. “If you keep this up, I’ll be late.”

“That’s my plan,” she replied.

He kissed her again before slinging his bag over his shoulder. Elena followed him downstairs and immediately hugged Santi, Will, Benny, and Tom goodbye. Rae stood next to Santi with her arm wrapped around him as Elena made her rounds. As they slowly made their way out onto the deck, Frankie held back, tossing his bag to Benny. Elena wrapped her arms tight around Frankie and held him close to her as he rested his chin on her head. “I love you, mi Sol,” she said, “like nothing I’ve ever loved before.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I love you, mi Luna,” he whispered against her hair, “and when I return I’m going to make an honest woman out of you.”

She chuckled and looked up at him. “I’ll hold you to that.”

They let each other go as he sauntered down the stairs towards the Jeep. The rain was picking up as she stepped further out onto the porch to watch. She felt the tears streaming down her face now, and everything about this moment felt so wrong. “Frankie!” she cried out. 

He turned and watched her run to him through the rain, only to jump into his arms one last time and kiss him deeper and longer than she’d ever kissed him before. His arms were wrapped around her, pulling her into him and lifting her from the ground. “‘When I said I’d never leave you…’” he began, choking back tears.

“‘And you never will.’”

He smiled, tears starting to run down his face. Thank god for the rain, he thought. “‘But I’ve got a job to do. Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of.”

She looked down at his feet and started to cry. He gently rested his hand under her chin, lifting it so he could kiss her again. “Here’s to looking at you, kid.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie’s deployment tests both Elena and Frankie. They start to reevaluate what they want out of this relationship. Frankie enlists the help of Rae and Santi in order to purchase a surprise for Elena.

_“…to let his true love breathe…”_

Frankie sauntered into the barrack and sighed. He felt terrible leaving her behind, making her wait for him. Except this time, he knew she’d be waiting for him when he returned home. He closed his eyes and took a steady breath, picturing her curled up next to him as they laid out on the dock together, looking up at the stars. Everything he did now was for them: even this. Though it hurt like hell, it was his job. Yes, it was his duty for his country, but now he did it for her. 

He glanced down at his bag and saw an envelope sticking out of the side pocket. He knit his eyebrows together as he grabbed it. _Mi Sol_ was scribbled on the front and suddenly he felt his heart break. He turned it over and slowly opened the envelope, stopping as soon as he saw the pages staring at him. The apprehension was almost too much, but he couldn’t read the letter. Not now, while he waits for his orders. He took a deep breath and tucked the envelope together and stuck it back in his bag. 

Tom walked in with a dossier in his hand and handed individual folders to the rest of his crew. “We’re flying over seas, boys,” he said. 

“Where to?” Will asked.

“Afghanistan.”

Frankie felt a chill go down his spine, and he shuddered. “How long?”

Tom took a long, deep breath and glanced over to him. “Doesn’t say. I’m assuming until our mission is completed.”

Benny looked over at Frankie as he stared at the unopened dossier in his hand. “At least they’re letting you fly, Catfish,” he smiled.

He gave a small grin and a short laugh. “For now. They said I’m on ‘probation.’ Basically, I’m their bitch for the next several months or they’ll take my license.”

“What did the CO say about your charges?” Santi asked.

He shrugged. “It’s going on my record, and they’ll review it when my probation is up. I’m not allowed to leave the base unless it’s for official business, and I have to piss in a cup once a week.”

The guys let out a collective sigh and shook their heads. Santi walked over to him and sat next to him. He didn’t say anything, but instead just sat with him so he didn’t feel alone. Tom leaned against the bunk next to him and flipped through the file he had in his hand. “We leave tomorrow morning,” he added.

***

She walked through what would eventually become the kitchen doors to her new restaurant. After she got settled when she moved back from New York, Elena immediately went on the hunt for a building for her new restaurant. Cal refused to buy out her shares in _Sol’s_ , but instead rebranded the restaurant so she could take the name with her. “It’ll be cheaper to rebrand than to buy out your shares, and this will force you to come up and visit time and again,” he’d said to her before she left.

Now, she was walking through a building that would potentially be the new home to _Sol’s_ with a rooftop bar called _Luna’s_. She looked around the old, dusty building trying to imagine what her new restaurant would look like. Elena felt a weak smile crawl across her face as she pictured the crew sitting in the back corner booth celebrating any and everything. She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she saw Frankie sitting there, waiting for her to join him. She could see him smiling at her, the smile she loved - the one he reserved only for her. 

“Miss?” the realtor softly said, interrupting her daydreams.

Elena wiped the tear off her cheek and turned to her. “Yes?” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

She smiled at her and handed Elena the paperwork. “They accepted the offer,” she said.

Elena grinned at her and grabbed the papers from her. She started reading through the terms and conditions, looking for any hidden fees and clauses. She grabbed the pen from the realtor’s hand. “Everything looks perfect,” she sighed. Her elegant signature decorated the bottom of the paper as she handed it back.

“Perfect. I’ll send these off. Congratulations,” she replied, leaning forward to shake Elena’s hand.

Elena smiled as she watched the realtor leave. Her heart ached a little as she wished she could run home and tell Frankie the wonderful news, share the celebration with him, but instead she’d have to wait. She sighed and dialed her cousin’s number. “Hey, Tito,” she sang into the phone.

“Hola, prima,” he replied, happy to hear from his cousin.

“I just signed the papers. Are you up for the job?” she asked. Her mother told her that her cousin was a contractor in the area and would be happy to help her with her restaurant.

“Of course! I can come by tomorrow and we can start sketching.”

She smiled. “That’d be great! I’ll meet you at the restaurant, and then you and Mona can come by afterwards for dinner, too.”

He laughed into the mouthpiece. “She’d love to. The kids would love to come up and see your farm.”

“Okay! I’m going to run and pick things up for dinner then.”

“Mona will bring a few sides for you, since we’re bringing the whole crew.”

She smiled against the phone. “I’m sure Mama will take care of those, because as soon as I call her she and Antonio will be over too. As well as David and Carla.”

He chuckled again. “So, party at your house!”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Tito.”

“See you tomorrow, ‘Lena.”

She hung up the phone and headed out of the building to her car. As she glanced back at her new purchase, she laughed to herself. Elena remembered a time when she couldn’t wait to get far away from her home, away from all the memories that pained her every time she thought about Frankie. Now, she was clipping her wings and digging in roots so deep that she’d never be able to leave: not that she ever planned on it. She wanted nothing more than to rush home and write him a letter to share the wonderful news. 

***

Gloria, Antonio, and Rae were the first to come over and help Elena start cooking for the spontaneous party that was happening at her house. She was tossing burgers on the grill when Gloria found her. She was pensively glancing out across the yard, so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t hear Gloria join her. “Hola, mija,” she said, setting a wine glass next to her. 

Elena gladly accepted the drink and smiled at her mother. “Hola, Mamá.”

“How have you been? You haven’t come over in a few days,” she said, sitting at the table near the grill.

She sighed and flipped the burgers. “I miss him,” she sniffed and wiped a tear away, “but I know he’ll be back soon.”

“How long has it been?”

Elena closed the grill lid to let the burgers cook and the cheese melt. “Seven weeks and four days.”

Rae walked out on the deck and sat next to Gloria. “At least this time it’s different,” she added.

Antonio walked in with David and Carla behind them. “Tito and his clan just pulled up,” David said, “Oh, and we invited María and Hugo, too.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I figured they’d come, so I bought enough food for everyone.”

Soon, the crowd had overrun the back deck. The kids instantly took off towards the lake and instantly started playing on the tire swing hanging nearby. “Luis!” Mona yelled, “Do _not_ push your sister. No nadar. Está muy frío.”

“But mom!”

“I don’t care. We did not bring extra clothes!”

Tito and Mona hugged Elena as he set down a cooler they brought at the end of the deck. “I called the lumber company on my way home,” he said, “they’ll be able to make the delivery on Tuesday and then we can get started.”

Elena beamed at him. “That’s great!”

“I’ve got someone to come out and do an inspection to make sure the building is up to code so far before we start, too.”

“Are the two of you going to talk shop all night?” Mona laughed.

She chuckled and removed the burgers from the grill. Mona grabbed the full plate from her while Elena grabbed the rest of her supplies as they walked inside. “I had no idea you’d moved out here,” she said as she set the burgers on the counter.

“I just moved,” she said, “back in August after David’s wedding.”

She saw Mona glance at the photo on the fridge of her and Frankie. “Is this your fella?”

Elena nodded and grinned. “Yeah. Tito knows him. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten.”

She turned and smiled at her. “That is the sweetest thing I’ve heard all day. Tito says he’s a pilot.”

“The best there is. He’s part of Santi’s squad. They’ve been deployed for the last two months.” Mona detected the sadness in her voice as she watched her eyes fall to the floor. “But he’s hopeful that he’ll be home before the holidays.”

They both walked back out onto the deck and joined everyone else who was comfortably lounging in one of the many chairs spread across the large porch. “How did the two of you stumble across this slice of paradise?” Tito asked as he sipped on his beer.

She sighed and smiled as she watched his children play and semi-argue in the backyard. “This used to be his grandparents’ farm, and he inherited it when they died. He’s tasked me with making it a better home while he’s gone.”

“Total freedom?” Mona asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise at her. 

Elena nodded. “Total freedom. He said he doesn’t care what I do inside, so long as he has a warm bed to come home to. When he gets back, we’re going to fix up the barn together before we bring some of the horses over from Mamá’s. He also wants to get some cows to run on the fields.”

“How many acres do you guys have here?” David asked, suddenly curious.

“About 90 without the lake, but since Frankie isn’t here right now, I’ve hired a farmer to cut the fields. He gets to keep all the hay or sell it. If I count the lake we’ve got about 100 acres.”

David shook his head in disbelief as he leaned back and tossed his arm around Carla’s shoulders. Rae smiled at her and cheered her. They called the kids up for dinner, and everyone made their way into the house to fix their plates. Elena loved having so many people over. Ever since the guys left, her life was significantly more quiet - more lonely. She missed being surrounded by them, listening to their playful bantering, watching Will and Benny wrestle over something, and curling up next to Frankie while they all sat around the campfire near the lake. 

The night drew on, and soon Tito and his brood were loading into the car. David, Antonio, and Hugo walked down to the lake to start a campfire for them while Elena and the rest sipped on their beverages and watched. She laughed as she remembered the last time there was a campfire there, Will and Benny argued over which method was the proper one: Teepee or Log Cabin. “Do you think they’re going to get a fire started faster than the Miller boys?” Rae laughed.

“Yes, because so far, there’s already significantly less name calling,” Elena replied.

Gloria rested her hands on her daughter’s shoulders and lightly squeezed them. “Have you heard from Frankie?”

She took a deep breath and nodded her head lightly. She didn’t really want to talk about it, because she was afraid the floodgates would break. She missed him so much that it was almost impossible to sleep in their bed now. It was so empty without him there. She’d find herself reaching out for him in the middle of the night, searching for him and only finding the edge of the mattress. At one point, she’d positioned his pillows next to her so she had something to curl up next to, but it wasn’t the same. Her only solace was that he’d be returning home soon.

***

The dry, scorching air was terrible enough to work in, let alone sleep in. He sat up against the building wall they were currently camped out in for the night and looked at the letter that still peeked at him from the side pocket of his bag. Fifteen weeks. It’d been fifteen weeks - almost four months - since he’d left, and he’d yet to open the one letter she sent him with. He’d read all of the other letters she’d sent him telling him about her restaurant, her cousin working to help her remodel, María’s gender reveal, pictures of her decorating the house, and of course how much she’d missed him. He’d been away from base with the guys for about six days now, and he knew that he’d have at least three letters waiting for him. He sighed and reached for the one letter he couldn’t bring himself to read. Tonight, however, when he looked up at the full moon, he felt something pull on his heart that caused him to break down and open the envelope. He gently pulled out several pieces of paper that had her beautiful and elegant handwriting all over them:

> _Mi Sol,_
> 
> _It only feels right that I get to write you a letter this time and tell you how I’ve been in love with you our entire lives. You see, Francisco, you’re not the only selfish one. I kept these feelings a secret my entire life, except Pops knew. I knew if I told you before you had to report back to base that they’d have to drag you away from me. So, instead of telling you, I decided to write you this letter that you could take with you; just like how I take your letter everywhere with me._
> 
> _There was one day, just shortly after we met, where you’d picked that daisy for me and brought it to school. I was so embarrassed at first, because I had no idea what that meant. But, I was so happy that my best friend had given me such a beautiful and simple gift that I kept it forever. I have it pressed in my favorite copy of Persuasion on the same page as Wentworth’s letter. I went home and told Pops that day that you’d given me a flower. He laughed and told me that you must like me, and you want to know what I said to him? I said, well one day, Papá, I’m going to marry Frankie. Five years old, and I already knew that you were it for me. He must have thought I was crazy that day, and I wish he was still here to see how happy you’ve made me._
> 
> _Since that day, I had struggled with keeping my feelings to myself. I was always afraid of ruining the friendship we had. I was just content with keeping you in my life. I remember when your mom remarried that asshole, Pops actually went to talk to your mother about you living with us. He never wanted me to tell you, but you deserve to know. I begged him and Mamá to help me save you, because your stepdad was trying to extinguish that light in you I loved so much._
> 
> _I remember the summer before he died, you’d gone off with Santi on a double date. I’d cried all night to Pops, because I was so jealous and hurt. He held me and told me to be patient, and that before we could be together we needed to find ourselves first. But of course, to me, seeing you with someone else was the end of my world. Then he died. I honestly do not think I would have been able to make it through that without you. I remember, the night it happened, you held me and let me cry until I ran out of tears. You stayed like that all night when I cried myself to sleep. I felt so safe in your arms, like nothing could hurt me and this horrible event in my life was nothing but a nightmare. Despite the fact you’d lost him too, you held it together at his funeral, never leaving my side. I can still feel your hand in mine while we stood there and watched them slowly lower his casket into the ground. I didn’t think I could have loved you any more than I did at that moment._
> 
> _Then, you left for bootcamp. I’m sure Santi has told you that when they came home, I’d constantly ask about you. Your letter left me a broken mess for a long time, and I was hurt beyond description. But my love for you made it all fade the minute they were home, because I knew they’d have stories of you. It’d help me feel closer to you, despite the fact you’d stayed away for so long. Those first few years before I got with Liam were the hardest. I thought I’d done something wrong, and that’s why you’d stayed away. Then, I heard you’d met someone. Naturally, I was crushed, but I was just happy you’d found someone. That’s when I reconnected with Liam._
> 
> _The rest is history that I’d be happy to relive if that meant I’d finally have you back in my life. When I saw you for the first time in ten years at the diner, I was overcome with so much emotion. That’s why I had to leave. I was happy you were back, scared about what this meant, and also a little hurt. But most of all, I felt like this was a sign. Papá was right, we needed to find ourselves first before we could be together. I can’t believe that I was so blind to think that I was happy with Liam. Deep down, I knew I was miserable, because he wasn’t you. He wasn’t mi Sol._
> 
> _I guess what I’m trying to say to you, is that in spite of everything that has been trying to keep us apart, I love you. I always have, and I always will. You told me ten years ago that you never wanted me to wait for you. Well now, Mi Sol, I get to make that decision. I will wait for you for as long as I have to. The moment you step off the plane, I will be standing there waiting for you to hold me in your arms once more. Hurry back to me._
> 
> _Te amo, mi Sol y mi corazón._
> 
> _Forever and Always,_
> 
> _Your Luna_

He read the letter two more times before he folded it and put it back into the envelope. His heart swelled with happiness and ached to be near her. He’d been deployed before, but this was different. In the past, he never had someone to go back home to. Now, he understood what most of the others were feeling. He reached into the pocket in his vest and pulled out a picture of the two of them. It was the Labor Day weekend Barbeque that they hosted. He wasn’t quite sure who took the picture, but when they were going through the camera, he instantly had Elena develop it. “I want this with me while I’m gone,” he said.

He ran his finger over the matte finish and sighed as he remembered that exact moment. He was leaning against the deck railing with her in his arms as they both glanced out over the backyard and lake. She had her head resting against his chest while her hands rested on his around her waist. The sunset colors made her appear as if she were glowing. The beautiful moon, glowing against the sun, spreading her light in the darkness.

Frankie felt Santi lightly kick his foot with his, and he glanced over to him. “What were you reading?”

“She gave it to me when we left, but I just couldn’t bring myself to reading it,” he sighed, “it’s her answer to my letter all those years ago.”

Santi let out a deep sigh. “Shit,” he said, looking over at him. “At least this time she’s waiting for you when we get back.”

He nodded and smiled, looking at the picture again.

“I sent Rae a letter home a few days ago,” Santi whispered.

He grinned at him and nodded. “You never did before,” he said.

Santi shrugged. “I was watching you and Elena send each other all these letters, and I felt bad.” He reached behind his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “And I wanted to.”

Frankie’s smile widened as he shifted positions to look at his brother. “Something tells me that things have gotten a little more than casual with the two of you.”

Santi’s face burned a little and he glanced over at Frankie. “I guess so,” he sheepishly replied, “but they gave me orders to fly back to Colombia when we are done here.”

“For how long?”

He shrugged again. “But if that’s the case, I don’t want Rae…”

He nodded, completely understanding where Santi was going with this. He turned a little so he could face Santiago more before he gave him a piece of advice. “Look, I get it. Trust me, I do. But take it from someone who’s been through it. Don’t make this decision for her. Look at all the time I’ve lost with Elena. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

He huffed and nodded his head in agreement. “Rae and I,” he trailed off and thought about it for a minute before continuing, “we don’t really talk about this sort of stuff, though.”

“If you don’t want to lose her, then you need to, Pope.”

Santi leaned his head back against the wall and sighed. He knew Frankie was right, but he and Rae never really talked about their relationship like that before. He did know one thing for certain, though, he refused to lose her. He’d watched Frankie and Elena suffer long enough to learn a thing or two. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Frankie nudged him this time. “Can you do me a favor?”

He opened one eye and looked at him. “Sure,” he whispered.

“Can you send another letter to Rae and ask her to figure out Luna’s ring size?”

He sleepily grinned at Frankie. “Oh?”

Frankie chuckled and nodded as he leaned his head back against the wall. “I already have the ring picked out,” he said, “I just need her size. I picked it out when the two of them went out a few weeks before we left.”

“You didn’t bother getting her size then?”

He lazily shook his head. “She doesn’t really wear a ton of rings, and the ones she does, she never takes off.”

Santiago laughed. “I’ll send her a letter when we get back to base.”

“Thanks, Pope.”

Santi leaned his head against him and started to fall asleep. “Anything for you guys. You know Rae and I love you both more than anyone.”

***

Rae loudly knocked on the door early one Saturday morning until Elena opened the door. “Good morning, beautiful,” she grinned, “get dressed.”

Elena rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned. “Why?”

She pushed past Elena and walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. “Because,” she continued, “we are going shopping. Santi sent me some gift cards for my birthday, and I plan on spending them today. Let’s go.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Are you kidding me?”

“No. Now, go get dressed. We are picking up María and Carla on our way out.”

They pulled into a parking garage and walked to the Rivercenter mall. The three of them climbed out of Rae’s Jeep and helped a very pregnant María out. She wrapped her arm around Elena and kept her close while Rae walked with Carla. “Frankie wants us to _somehow_ get her ring size.”

Carla looked at her with wide eyes and grinned. “Oh! Okay,” she whispered. 

“I figured we can drag her to Macy’s and peruse the jewelry section.”

“Rae,” Elena called behind her, “what stores did Santi give gift cards for?”

She turned and gave her a coy smile. “Well, he sent a Macy’s one, and Victoria’s Secret. But that one had special instructions attached to it.”

They squealed and laughed as they followed her to their first store. They instantly walked to the sexy lingerie section while Rae filled her bag up with some to try on. Elena walked back to the dressing room with her and waited. She found room on the plush benches just outside of the rooms. “I can’t believe he told you to specifically get lingerie,” Elena laughed.

“Well,” Rae giggled, “he ripped his favorite one I own. So, he asked me to replace it with this gift card.”

“He _ripped_ it?” Elena chuckled and shook her head. 

“Why aren’t you trying anything on?” Rae asked, sticking her head out of the dressing room.

She shrugged and looked out at Carla and María who were looking at the underwear on sale. “I don’t know,” she sighed, “I guess I’m not in the mood.”

Rae frowned at her. “Go out there, find some teddies and garters and try them on. The guys have been gone for almost five months. You need to make yourself feel sexy right now, and buy a little something to surprise Frankie with when he gets home.”

She smiled at her best friend and recalled the last time she’d worn lingerie for him. “Fine,” she said, reluctantly walking back out into the store. She grabbed a few lacey ones she liked and draped them over her arm. Elena agreed that it would be a nice surprise for Frankie when he got home - whenever that was. His last letter was not an optimistic one.

Elena pulled on a lacy black teddy and stared at herself in the mirror. She smiled and ran her hands down the front to smooth out the lace. Rae was right: she needed to feel sexy. It completely changed her mood. After trying several more on, she heard a knock at her changing room. “‘Lena?” Rae asked.

“Hold on. I’m making sure this is the one I want,” she said, after she put on a lacy red one. 

She giggled on the other side of the door. “Well, when you’re done here, we’re heading over to Macy’s.”

Elena quickly put her clothes on and joined the rest of them at the counter with the red teddy in her hand. “Think Frankie will like this one?” she asked, holding it up.

Rae smiled and nodded. “Looks almost like the one I had to replace.”

Carla and María laughed. “Santi was that impatient?” Carla chuckled.

“You know he has been sending me letters lately,” she replied as they moved closer to the counter.

The three of them stared at her, surprised. “Seriously?”

She nodded her head. “Yeah. He’s actually been rather sweet in them.”

Elena set her garment on the counter and turned to Rae. “So, I guess things are starting to heat up between the two of you, then.”

Rae shrugged. “I guess. He’s been away longer before, and he’s never acted like this. I’ve actually never gotten a letter from him before.”

She exchanged looks with Carla and María as they swooned a little. “That is so adorable,” Carla said, “I’ve never known Santi to be so soft.”

Elena paid for her teddy and grabbed the bag. She followed them out of the store and headed to Macy’s. “He did say that he received orders to go to Colombia upon his return and that he wants to talk when he gets home,” Rae added, “which worries me. We’ve never _talked_.”

She turned to Elena and sighed. Her demeanor changed a little, and Elena instantly recognized the look on her face. “Hey,” she consoled, “at least he wants to talk to you about it. He’s not just leaving you with a letter in your hand.” She watched Rae relax a little. “I’m sure Frankie probably told him if he did that, he’d beat the shit out of him for you.”

Rae laughed. “He’d have to get in line, because I’d follow him down to Colombia and give him what for.”

They walked into Macy’s and followed Rae to the jewelry counter. “I need a new ring,” she said, “I lost mine. Can you help me pick one out?”

Carla walked over to the counter and nodded. “We’d love to!”

“What size are you?” María asked.

“Seven.”

Elena grinned. “Perfect. If you find one I like, I’m going to borrow it whenever I want.”

Rae nudged her shoulder. “Don’t you already do that with most of my shoes and jewelry anyway?”

She chose to ignore her as she pointed to a nice sapphire ring. “This one is beautiful.” The woman behind the counter handed it to her, and Elena slid it over her knuckle. “This will go nice with that blue dress you bought a while back, and it fits my finger nicely.”

Rae laughed and took it from her. “Well, we need it to fit _my_ finger.”

“It has a matching necklace too,” Elena noted as she glanced back in the case.

“Are you trying to spend all of my money?”

Elena raised an eyebrow at her. “You mean Santi’s?”

***

When they finally returned to base, after running recon ops for the third time, he had six more letters from Elena and Santi had a couple from Rae. He sighed as he gazed at the pile of letters held together by some string. His heart ached the longer he looked at them, because that meant she’d been waiting to hear from him for over a week. María had had her baby in the last letter she sent him. She and Hugo had a little boy that they named Mateo. David and Carla bought a new house just down the road from Santi’s home, and her restaurant was almost completed. He sighed as he thought of everything he’d missed and prayed that his deployment was almost over. 

Frankie walked over to Santi who was laying on his bed reading Rae’s letters. He sat up and folded her letters. “Rae said she’s made the first two payments on your ring,” he said, “and she said she got your money transfer the other day.”

“Great,” Frankie breathed, “tell her thank you and that I couldn’t do this without her.”

Santi looked up at him. “Do you have a plan?”

He sighed and shook his head. “No. I have a few ideas, but no plan.”

“Well,” he added, “all I can say when you _finally_ ask her is, it’s about fucking time.”

“Fuck you, Pope,” he chuckled, “I just hope she doesn’t think it’s too soon.”

He rolled his eyes and glared at Frankie. “Too soon? Hell, the two of you have been in love with each other for twenty-three, twenty-four years.”

Frankie chuckled and agreed. “I guess that we took things slow long enough. Tell Rae I’ll send her the next two payments next week.”

***

After a year of hard work, _Sol’s_ was finally ready for the grand opening. Frankie had written her to tell her that he would be coming home at the end of the month, and this time it was for good. Much to everyone’s impatience, she decided to wait to hold the grand opening until he was home to be there with her. He’d missed so much over the last year that she decided to push the date back so he could celebrate this momentous step for her. 

Rae was sitting with her in the dining room helping her finalize her menu over a glass of wine when the news broke over the T.V. hanging above the bar. “Breaking News,” the anchor read, “Four American soldiers are dead after a roadside bomb exploded in Afghanistan this morning. The attack did not end there when a helicopter with five more Americans, presumably members of the Delta Force, was shot down moments after the bomb. The identities have yet to be released, but those in the helicopter are presumed dead, as no bodies were recovered from the wreckage. More on this story will unfold tonight at 6:00.”

Elena looked at Rae who was equally shocked and distraught. “Rae,” she said, her lip quivering.

Rae shook her head. “Elena, it’s only presumed. Which means it might not be them,” she said, tears running down her cheeks, “right?”

“Rae,” she said again, this time feeling the floodgates burst, “Rae, tell me he’s okay.”

Elena looked down and saw her phone ringing. It was María. She answered the phone, unable to control her cries the second she heard her sister’s voice. “‘Lena, please tell me that wasn’t them.”

She sobbed into the receiver. “I don’t know,” she replied, “if it was the Delta Force squad, then it was them, and Frankie was flying.”

The hostess saw both Rae and Elena crying and brought them cloth napkins to dry their eyes with. She ran to the bar and turned the T.V. off so they didn’t have to listen to the news anymore. 

“I’m going to call David and see if he can find anything out, okay?”

Elena nodded, despite the fact María couldn’t see her. She started gasping for air between sobs. “María,” she cried.

“I know, hermana,” she heard her voice crack, “They’re going to be okay. They’re going to come home to us.”

She hung up the phone and moved to sit next to Rae. They held onto each other, shuddering against the other’s shoulders as they cried; both praying to God that all five of them were okay, that it was another squad on that chopper. Elena could feel the rest of her heart falling apart, disintegrating the longer so sat there and cried. There was no coming back from this kind of pain. “I just got him back into my life, Rae,” she whispered, “I can’t lose him again.”

Rae said nothing but rocked back and forth with her in an effort to calm them both. She suddenly was picturing her life without Santi in it and did not like what she saw. She could more than understand Elena’s pain as she tried to absorb the fact that their boys were probably not coming home.

Elena closed her eyes as the tears fell and pictured a time when Frankie was home, holding her against him. She loved him more than she ever thought possible, and now, with the thought of him being gone, Elena was certain that she’d never find someone that she’d ever love as much again. _Please, God, don’t take him away from me. You took my papá when I wasn’t ready. You separated Frankie and I for too long. Now? Now you’ve given him back to me. We are supposed to grow old together, and live out the rest of our lives gazing up at the stars on our dock. Please, don’t rip him from me. Please, God._ She prayed.

She wiped her eyes with the napkin. 

_Please, God. Please._

.

.

.

_Don’t take him from me. Please._

**Translations**

  * _No nadar. Está muy frío. - No swimming. It’s too cold._




	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been over a week since Elena has heard anything about Frankie and the boys after their crash. Someone from Frankie’s past comes to visit.

_“-for it would put an end to all her misery.”_

Elena sat in her living room wrapped in an old sweatshirt of his. It’d been a week since the news broke about the helicopter crash, and David had yet to find out any news. However, the lack of a letter from Frankie this week all but confirmed her deepest fear: he was in the chopper when it went down. Her tears had been running in a constant stream down her face since she saw the broadcast. Rae had come over a few times to check on her and to grieve with her. They wouldn’t say anything, just sit in silence curled up next to each other. She’d never felt a pain like this before in her life: her soul ached, burned, with everything thought and reminder of what she’d lost. 

There was a light knock at the door, to which she reluctantly answered. She sluggishly made her way through the house. As she passed a mirror, she saw the shell of a broken woman - one who would never fully heal from this loss. She ran her hand through her hair to fix it before she opened the door. She froze as she stared at the last person she expected to see on her front porch. She hadn’t seen this woman in over fifteen years, but she would never forget Frankie’s mother. She was a small, meek woman, which always surprised Elena. How could this woman have given birth to someone so strong and magnificent as Frankie? She shrunk when Elena’s gaze burned into her. “Elena?” she said in a small voice.

“Teresa,” her voice hoarse, “Is there something I can do for you?”

She took a deep breath and looked around the porch. “I…I saw the news and thought I would come to see if it was true.”

Elena crossed her arms and glared at her. “No, Teresa,” she said, “he’s gone and now you have regrets.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she returned Elena’s stare. “He’s my son, you know. Despite what’s happened, I still loved him.”

“You loved him so much that you decided to wait until he was dead to make amends?”

She let out a small sob and wiped her eyes. “I’m not a perfect mother. I made so many mistakes, but I honestly came here to see _you_.”

Elena stopped and stared at her in shock. “Why?”

Teresa pulled the tattered cardigan around her and glanced at the hoodie Elena had been living in for the last week. “Because, you’re his Luna. He’d always talk about you when he’d come home from school as a little boy. I knew out of everyone, you’d be just as broken as me. When I heard the two of you were living together here, I was honestly so happy for both of you. He deserves someone like you to love him, and now that he’s…” she paused and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “gone, I wanted to see how you were doing. He’d want to make sure you were okay, and I wanted to do right by him.”

Elena felt the tears bubbling at the rim of her eyes as she softened with her words. She tried to think of something to say, but instead she broke down and started crying. Teresa reached forward and wrapped her arms around her. She let out several sobs into her shoulder as his mother did her best to comfort her. “I couldn’t be there for him,” she whispered, “but I can be there for you, Elena.”

She pulled away from her and gazed down at the woman before her. “Thank you, Teresa,” she replied, “You would have been so proud of him.”

She gave her a small, tear-filled smile. “I am so proud of him. I just wish I could have told him.”

***

David hung up the phone and glared across his kitchen table at Carla. He took a deep breath and leaned into his hands, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m reporting back to base this weekend,” he said.

“Why?” Carla asked, walking over to him and running her hands over his shoulders.

He sighed. “They still refuse to confirm or deny that the Delta Force Squad was on the chopper. So, I’m going to base and getting answers.”

“Do you want me to call Elena?” she added.

He shook his head. “No,” he murmured, “I’ll run out there and talk to her myself.” David leaned back against this chair and looked up at her. “If they have no information, that tells me he’s still alive.”

“Then why hasn’t he sent a letter or called her?”

David shrugged. “Which is why I’m going to report back to base this weekend.”

Slowly, he stood up and walked to the foyer to put his shoes on with Carla close behind him. “I’m going with you,” she said, “and we should tell Rae to be there too.”

As they pulled into the driveway, they saw Rae’s car parked just next to Frankie’s truck. He sighed and glanced over at Carla. “What am I going to say to them?”

She grabbed his hand and held it in hers. “The truth. You haven’t heard anything.”

“They’re going to have questions, though, and I don’t have answers.”

She brought his hand up to her lips and lightly kissed his knuckles. “We just need to be there for them, my love.”

He pulled on the door handle and opened his door. David looked up and saw Elena wrapped in Frankie’s sweatshirt and standing in the doorway. He slowly made his way to her and wrapped her in a tight brotherly hug. He heard her let out a small sob into his shoulder. “How are you guys doing?” he asked, letting her go.

“About as well as you can imagine,” she said, wiping her eyes. David and Carla followed her to the back porch where she and Rae had been sitting and drinking some wine. “What did you want to tell us?”

He sighed and glanced over at Carla before taking a seat at the table across from them. “Look, I’ve called the base every day for the last week and a half. They have heard absolutely nothing about the crash.”

Tears started streaming down Elena’s face as Rae perked up and looked at David. “What do you mean they’ve heard _nothing_?”

He shook his head. “As in, they never got a confirmation that they were even on the chopper. That’s why no one from the base has been out to visit or help plan for any of their memorial services. I called The Millers, and they said they’d heard nothing. Tom’s girl hasn’t heard anything either.”

Elena wiped her eyes again and looked between Rae and David as she let the information sink in. “Does that mean…” she trailed off, not wanting to get her hopes up.

“I’m not sure. I’m reporting to base this weekend to see if I can get some answers,” he replied, “but I doubt I’ll learn much.”

Her eyebrows knit together as she thought about the last several days. She hadn’t heard from Frankie at all, and with as frequently as he had been sending letters, that wasn’t like him. “Then, why hasn’t he written? Why haven’t we heard anything from any of them?”

David sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know, ‘Lena. Maybe they’re on a mission where they had to go dark. I’ll see what I can learn this weekend. Just…” he paused and looked at his baby sister. She was so distraught and lost. He couldn’t imagine the pain she was experiencing right now, and he didn’t want to. “Just, hold off on a memorial or anything like that until you hear from me, okay?”

Elena took a deep shaky breath before saying, “Frankie’s mom wants to hold the memorial this weekend.”

Everyone glanced at her with a mix of shock and confusion. “I’m sorry,” Rae said, “did you just say Frankie’s _mom_?”

She nodded. “She stopped by the other day and wanted to talk. She wanted to do right by him and make sure I was okay.” She swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. “She was the one who brought up the memorial and asked if I was okay with her having it this weekend. I told her I would let her know tomorrow, so she could make plans.”

David nodded. “Tell her to wait. I…” he paused again, carefully thinking about how to say this next thought. “I want to believe they’re still alive. They would have presented something to each family member personally, because of who they are. They’re heroes. Delta Force. They would have received some recognition, even if it was an empty casket coming home.”

Elena saw Rae perk up at the thought, but she couldn’t bring herself to have that much hope. “Just let us know what you find out. I’ll tell Teresa to wait.”

***

The desert was cold at this time of night, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. He was staring up at the full moon with a broken heart. Their commanding officer decided to capitalize on the advantage they now had and sent them back out into the field one last time. Tom was furious. The fact that the world thought they were dead meant that the enemy was not going to expect them at all. However, their friends and families were sitting at home distraught, about to bury empty caskets. Frankie didn’t want to imagine the kind of pain Elena was going through right now. He yearned to reach out to her, but he had no way to communicate to her that he was alive. He had even begged their CO to let him send a letter home, but he was denied. All he could hope for was that their final mission was completed swiftly so he could call or write her to let her know everything was okay. He’d set up two more payments to go into Rae’s account while they were gone, but he knew that wasn’t much of a sign. “Fuck this,” he mumbled under his breath.

Tom turned and looked at him. “I’m pissed too, Catfish, but we signed up for this life. We have a duty…”

‘No,” Frankie said, “I didn’t sign up for _this_. Our family is sitting at home mourning us. They’re suffering. This is fucking bullshit.”

Will nodded and leaned against Frankie. “Redfly, just get us through this job so we can get home.”

Tom adjusted the bag on his back and leaned back. “I want to go home as much as you guys, but we have to complete this mission first. The target is supposed to be making the deal in the morning. If we miss that deal, we lose our opportunity to go home.”

Benny sighed and leaned into Santi, trying to lighten the mood. “I heard you were writing letters to Rae,” he laughed.

Santi looked over at Frankie and glared at him. “Yeah, what’s your point?”

Benny shrugged and laughed. “Oh nothing. I just remember last year when we found out about the two of you I believe you said it wasn’t _serious_.”

“Pope, did you catch feelings while we were home?” Will grinned.

“I think he did,” Frankie added, “he even sent her a few gift cards to…” he cleared his throat, “Victoria’s Secret?”

The guys all laughed while Santi’s face burned. “Alright, fuck you guys. What I bought Rae is between me and her,” he paused, “and probably Elena if I’m being honest.”

“Where the fuck did you get gift cards?”

“Online. I had them shipped to her, but only to help her distract Elena!” He defended.

“From what?” Benny laughed.

Santi looked at Frankie who was now returning his glare. “For this idiot who forgot to get her ring size before he went browsing,” Santi said, motioning to the embarrassed man across from him.

“Ohhh!” Benny cheered as he chuckled at him. “A ring size?”

Frankie shrugged it off. “Yeah, just browsing though. No one said I was committing to one yet.”

“Yeah? Then why are you sending money to Rae for payments on the ring?” Santi grinned at him when Frankie flipped him off.

Frankie shook his head as he looked around at each of them. “None of you can seriously be surprised,” he laughed.

Will nudged him with his shoulder and chuckled. “So, do you have any plans?”

He glanced over at him before looking down at his hands. “No. Nervous as hell, though.”

“The fuck are you nervous for, Cat?” Benny asked. He looked over at Benny before leaning back and looking up at the moon. “You don’t think she’d say no, right?”

He shrugged. “What if after this year she realizes she doesn’t want to spend the next five or so years until I retire tied to this life? She realizes that this life isn’t what she wanted after all.”

They all looked at him dumbfounded. Santi slugged his shoulder, causing him to glare at him. “You can’t actually believe that, right? I mean the last ten years were worse for her than this single year, and she still came back to your sorry ass.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. “Yeah,” he sighed, “I don’t deserve her.”

“Well, don’t worry, my speech is already written,” Santi laughed.

“And who says I want your dumbass to be my best man?”

Santi gave him a goofy smile and stared at him. “Like I said, I’ve already written my speech.”

“What about you and Rae?” Will asked, “anyone need to write a speech for you two, yet?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Look, who knows where that’s going? I’m being sent down to Colombia upon my return. I get a few weeks leave, and then they’re shipping me south for a few months.”

“Did you tell her?”

“No,” he replied, “I didn’t feel right telling her through a letter. I figured I’d tell her when we got home. If we ever make it back!”

Tom glared at him. “Get some sleep,” he ordered, “we’re up with the sun in the morning. We are not missing that deal.”

***

David’s heart raced as he ran to the barracks for the phone. He dialed Elena’s number and waited for her to pick up. He heard the tone ring five times before going to voicemail. He swore and dialed again. “Pick up, ‘Lena,” he begged. 

It rang four times before she answered. “Hello?” she breathed into the phone.

“‘Lena,” he blurted, “it’s David. Listen, I just talked with my CO, and he pulled some strings. There’s absolutely no record of their deaths or even confirmation that they were in the chopper.”

She took a deep breath and sighed, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” he added, feeling his heart race, “it means that they’re still alive. They have to be. They’ve gone dark over there, and so their CO never corrected the news. They want whomever their target is to think they’re dead.”

“David…” she began. Elena was so hesitant to get her hopes up. She wanted to believe him, have the same optimism he had, but her heart wouldn’t allow it.

“He’s alive, Elena. I know it. There’s no evidence that they’re dead. Please, don’t give up. Just give him a few more days. I’m sure you’ll hear from him soon.”

He heard her take another shaky breath before responding to him. “I can’t keep giving myself this false hope,” she said, “but for you, I’ll hold on a little while longer.”

He smiled into the receiver. “I wish you weren’t going through this,” he said, “it’s not fair to either of you.”

“I gotta go,” she softly replied, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Love you,” he added.

She hung up the phone and watched the numbers blink. She felt a few tears form in her eyes as she set her phone face down on the coffee table. She leaned forward and grabbed the binder she’d created for her restaurant and started flipping through it. It was all the details she needed to finalize for the grand opening next week. Elena knew that she couldn’t continue putting this off. She’d waited for Frankie, but now, now there was no point. Frankie wasn’t going to be here for the grand opening of her restaurant. He wasn’t going to be here for anything anymore. 

She sniffed and wiped her eyes before flipping through the grand opening menu her head chef had put together. Elena opened her laptop to approve an order and run through the online reservations to make sure they weren’t overbooked. A few tears feel on the mousepad of her laptop that she wiped away with the hem of her shirt. She knew she’d never move on from Frankie, but she’d learn to live without him. 

She clicked “send” on the order before opening her email, when her phone started vibrating across the table again. She sighed and looked over at it, contemplating letting it go to voicemail. The same four people called her every day at the same time to check in on her: Her mother, in the morning, to see if she needed anything; Carla around noon to see if she wanted lunch; Rae about an hour later to talk; And María just before dinner, inviting her over every night. She looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was close to the time Carla called. She knew they meant the best when they called, but she was getting tired of being babysat. The phone continued to vibrate, and she knew the longer she ignored it, the more frequent Carla would call until she answered.

Sighing, she hit talk and answered. “Carla, please, just let me enjoy a few moments of silence before the next phone call. I already talked to David this morning right after my mother. I just need time to myself,” she begged.

“Luna,” his voice cracked through the other end of the phone.

She gasped and covered her mouth. _I’m hearing things. My grief has driven me to this. He’s not there._ She thought to herself.

“Luna,” he pleaded, “can you hear me?”

Tears were rolling down her cheeks. “Mi Sol,” she breathed, “please tell me it’s really you.”

“It is,” she could tell he was smiling. 

Elena let out a sob as she held her hand to her chest. She felt all the pain and weight lift off her, and suddenly the floodgates burst open. Relief washed over her as she cried, listening to him calm her. “Luna,” he whispered, “I’m coming home. We all are. Our plane leaves tonight, so I should be home in two days. I will call you as soon as we land in the states.”

“Frankie,” she prayed. His name had never felt so good rolling off her tongue. She continued to cry into the receiver. “Are you really coming home?”

“Yes,” he said. She heard him sniff on the other end. “I love you, mi Luna. I hated that I wasn’t allowed to tell you I was okay. All I did was think about you. I would look up at the moon, just like old times and dream of my arms around you, holding you close to me. We had to go dark. Our CO wasn’t letting anyone contact home, and I’m so sorry, mi Luna. I am so, _so_ sorry.”

“I love you, mi Sol. Please, hurry home so I can wrap my arms around you and never let you leave me again.” For the first time in over a week she smiled. 

“I have to go,” he continued, “but only so we can leave to get on the plane. I will call you as soon as I land in the states.”

She took a quick breath. “Frankie,” she paused.

“Yes, ‘Lena.”

“I…” she started crying again. 

He took a deep breath of his own. “I know,” he said, “I’ll see you soon, mi amor.”

“Fish! Let’s go!” she heard Benny call from behind him. 

“See you soon. I love you.”

“I love you.” He hung up the phone and she fell back, resting her head on the arm rest of the couch. 

She filled her lungs with air, no longer heavy with the weight of extreme grief but instead full of relief. She cried until she ran out of tears. Her body was so exhausted that she drifted off to a peaceful sleep. She was startled awake by a loud knock on her front door. She knocked her binder on the floor, spilling a few papers. “Shit,” she mumbled as she picked up her mess and set it on the coffee table. 

The knock was growing more rapid and hurried as she made her way to answer it. Rae burst through as soon as she opened it and hugged her. “Santi said Frankie already called,” she beamed. Her eyes were red and swollen, obviously from crying.

Elena smiled at her and wiped her eyes. “We didn’t get to talk long, but yes,” she replied, tears forming in her eyes again. 

“I’m assuming you’re going to the airport to pick him up?”

She nodded. “He’s going to call when they land in the states.”

They silently stared at each other for a moment, watching as they both let the tears stream down their faces. “I am afraid that I’m going to wake up from this and he’s still going to be gone,” Elena continued.

“Me too,” Rae sighed.

She smiled at her and hugged her again. She sniffed and wiped her eyes one last time before walking back into the living room. It was a disaster. She chuckled and looked back at Rae. “I guess I need to clean a little,” she said.

“I’ll start in the kitchen. After we’re done, we are having margs on the deck,” added Rae.

“Better call Mamá and let her know. You know she’s going to bombard all of them the second she sees them.”

Rae laughed and nodded. “She’ll start cooking a ten course meal for them now.”

Elena took a shaky deep breath and sighed. She glanced around the room, smiling at the home she’d built for them while he was away. She’d found childhood pictures and developed newer ones, decorating the walls with their memories. She’d framed several of their whole group and placed them on the mantle. Her heart swelled as she imagined them curled up on the sofa together, arms wrapped around the other - never letting go.

***

He sat on the plane, constantly looking out the window and practically counting down the seconds until the plane landed. He bounced his legs so much that it woke up Santi next to him. He laughed and nudged him with his shoulder. “We should be there soon,” he said.

“This has been the longest fucking plane ride of my life,” Frankie growled. He looked at his best friend and felt a lump form in his throat. “Did you ask Rae…?”

Santi nodded. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Good evening, everyone. The captain has turned on the ‘fasten seatbelt’ sign. We are approaching San Antonio International Airport and making our final descent,” the flight attendant said over the intercom.

His heart raced even faster as they grew closer. Never, in his career, had he wanted to go home so bad. Before he was reunited with her, he’d longed to stay away - buried himself in mission after mission. There was no reason for him to come home. His life was so empty in the decade without her. Now, he had a home to go to, and she was waiting for him at the airport. He felt the thud of the wheels on the pavement as they rapidly slowed and taxied to their gate. He started rubbing his hands on his jeans, unaware of how anxious he’d become. 

He heard the ding, signaling the captain turned off the seatbelt sign. He instantly jumped up out of his seat a little too high and smacked his head against the overhead bins. “Fuck,” he groaned, rubbing the top of his head. He glared at Will and Benny who were laughing at him.

“Watch your head there, Catfish,” Benny mumbled.

“Fuck you, Benny,” he replied as he shoved at him when he made it to the aisle. He reached for his bag and followed Santi off the plane. He looked above for the signs that pointed to the baggage claim, where she was waiting for him. His heart raced so fast, he was afraid it would beat right out of his chest.

“To the right,” Santi pointed up at the sign just above them that directed them to the baggage claim.

He didn’t bother waiting for the rest of them to get off the plane. Frankie had spent the last year and some weeks with his brothers. Now, now was the time he wanted to see her. They would catch up. He walked so fast that he was sure security was going to stop him for questioning. He followed each sign turning left and right as he made his way back to her. He found himself stuck on an escalator that moved at an excruciatingly slow pace. When he was roughly halfway down, he could see clear into the baggage claim. He scanned the area, looking for his Luna.

She was watching those escalators like a hawk. Every man in a military uniform that walked by received strange glances from her as she wished it was her Sol that was walking towards her. Her heart stopped when she saw him halfway down the escalators. Tears filled her eyes as she glanced at him. Now, she believed he was home safe. Their eyes met from across the room, and she could see the equal amount of pain, relief, and happiness flooding from his eyes. The second she had a clear path to him, she ran at full speed towards Frankie. He dropped his duffle bag as she leapt into his arms, wrapping herself around him and sobbing. “You’re home,” she cried, “You’re really home!”

He couldn’t say anything to her. He just breathed her in and smiled as he held her close. He could feel her chest heaving as she continued to cry. Frankie couldn’t even begin to imagine the pain she’d endured while they’d gone dark. He swayed with her in his arms, stuck in a perfect moment. “I’m never leaving you, again,” he whispered.

She leaned back and placed her hands on either side of his face, kissing him deeply. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his with a wide grin. Her heart was swelling with love as he held her in his arms. This was all she prayed for when that news story broke, and she thanked God that her prayers were answered. 

“Get a room, you two!” Benny shouted from the escalator.

They both turned and looked at him, laughing. “Fuck off, Benny,” Frankie said.

Elena let go of him to wrap her arms around Benny. “I swear the five of you aged me ten years over the last two weeks,” she sighed.

He hugged her tight. “I’m sorry, ‘Lena. Now, we’re all home safe.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Hey! Move over, Ben,” Will said as he shoved his brother to the side. Elena beamed at Will and hugged him. “Tomorrow we’re driving north to see the family for a few weeks, but then we’re coming back here for a campout and barbeque.”

“You better,” she smiled, “I’ve missed the noise in the house.”

Tom chuckled behind him, and she wrapped her arm around him. “Be careful what you wish for,” he said, “your house is about to get a lot more noisy tonight.”

“The guest bedroom and couches are all ready for the three of you,” she replied, “we all know where Santi is staying tonight.”

She looked over and saw her brother with his arms wrapped tightly around Rae’s waist, holding her so close to him that no one could tell where one ended and the other began. “I think our Pope is growing up,” Tom said.

She grinned and turned back to the four of them, holding her arm out for Frankie to hold her. “I never thought I’d see the day,” she laughed.

They finally joined the rest of them before walking outside. Santi hugged Elena tight and sighed. “I know Frankie missed you the most, but I really missed mi hermanita.”

“If you ever give me a scare like that again, hermano…”

He kissed her forehead. “I won’t.”

***

They pulled into the drive and hopped out of the Jeep and Frankie’s truck just outside their house. Gloria was already waiting there with Antonio, David, Carla, María, and Hugo with little Mateo in his arms. Frankie waited for Elena, wrapping his arm around her as they approached the front porch. Gloria was the first to bombard them, hugging Santi and Frankie so tight the both turned blue. She wiped her eyes with a kerchief that Antonio pulled from his shirt pocket. Frankie smiled when he saw his new nephew, cradling him in his arms. The sight brought tears to Elena’s eyes as she watched him light up at the sight. The now almost one year old, grinned at him, reaching for his facial hair and then his hat. Frankie reached up and took the hat off his head, placing it on Mateo’s. The boy giggled and played with the bill.

Elena stood back with Rae and watched as everyone welcomed their boys home. They wrapped their arms around each other and leaned their heads together. Everything was right in the world, and nothing could take away the pure happiness and peace they’d all found in each other. Frankie handed Mateo back to his mother and walked down the stairs again to find Elena. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to his side as he picked up his bag in the other hand. “Everyone better come inside,” Gloria said, dabbing her eyes, “I’ve been cooking all afternoon while the girls cleaned and fixed up your beds.”

Benny grinned and rubbed his hands together, tailing right behind Gloria as instructed. Frankie held Elena back for a second, leaving them alone outside. “What is it?” she asked, turning to look up in his eyes.

He smiled and looked down at her. “I love you, Luna.”

Her eyes instantly filled up with tears. “I love you, Sol.”

He leaned down and gently kissed her before following her up the stairs into the house. They laughed and drank well into the night, before they were left with the usual crew sitting around a small cooler on the dock. Not once did Elena and Frankie leave each other’s side with his hand always resting somewhere on her: her back, waist, leg, or hand. And she didn’t mind either. She’d missed his touch.

It wasn’t until Santi and Rae left did everyone realize how late it was. One by one, everyone made their way to their beds Elena had set up for them. Frankie gladly followed Elena upstairs to their room. He’d taken a nice long shower, pulling her in with him. He missed the sight of her, all of her, wrapped up in his arms. For minutes, she stood there while he peppered every inch of her face and neck with sweet, soft kisses and water rained down on both of them. When they’d finally crawled into bed and Frankie sank back against the freshly washed sheets and pillows, he let out a deep, relaxed sigh and smiled at her. “What?” she blushed as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Thank you,” he breathed, “for making a home I never want to leave.”

She leaned over and kissed him. He ran his hand over her face, pushing back strands of hair. “Can I ask you a question?” he asked, innocence pouring from his eyes.

“Anything, mi Sol.”

He smiled. “Will you hold me? Remind me that I am here and this is real?”

Her heart suddenly broke from the sweet, but sad remark. A question she more than completely understood. She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him as she buried her face into his back. He lightly ran his hand over hers before resting it on top. “This,” he said so soft she thought she’d heard things, “this is Heaven.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people from Frankie’s past show up, causing him to hash through some old wounds. Elena’s restaurant has its grand opening, and the guys come down to celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are mentions of drug and alcohol abuse.   
> There's also some smut!

_“And so every night, the sun would go, just so his beautiful moon could glow.”  
_

It was late in the morning when he woke up. He felt her still clinging to him, causing a smirk to crawl across his face. He lightly turned in her arms and pulled her closer to him. He saw a small smile form on her face as she snuggled into him. Everything was perfect, and he wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world. He kissed the top of her forehead and closed his eyes again, resting against his pillow. He heard her let out a soft sigh as she nuzzled her head against his chest, causing his heart to swell even more. He was sure, this time, that it would burst. He’d never been so full of love for someone the way he was for her. Frankie glanced over to his unpacked bag that was sitting next to the dresser and imagined telling her exactly that when he asked her to marry him. 

She stirred again as her fingers lightly traced over his chest, sending chills across his skin. “That tickles,” he chuckled.

Elena grinned and looked up at him. “Does it?” She ran her hand down his chest and to his side.

“Luna,” he warned.

Her grin turned devilish, and she squeezed his side, causing him to jump and turn. Frankie grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head with one hand. He started tickling her side with his free hand which made her squeal and laugh. “Okay! You win!” She exclaimed.

He paused for a minute, leaned over, and kissed her. She rested her hands on the side of his face, holding her to him as she let him deepen his kiss. He gently let his body collapse on her, wrapping his arms around her to bring her close. She ran her leg down his, tangling the top sheet between them. As his kisses and nibbles made their way down her jaw and neck she giggled, “You know we aren’t alone in the house, right?”

“They can all go to hell,” he growled, biting at her collarbone.

She ran her hands down his back. “We also have lunch plans today, and I need to get started cooking.”

“Yeah?” He continued to kiss her. “And who is coming over?”

Elena took a deep breath before telling him. “Your mother.”

Frankie stopped what he was doing and stared at her in disbelief.

“And your father.”

He frowned and shook his head before rolling over. “I’m sorry, what?”

She took another deep breath and sat up to look at him. “A week ago,” she started, tears forming in her eyes, “your mother stopped by here to see how I was doing. She heard you’d gone down in the chopper, and wanted to do right by you and see if ‘your Luna’ was okay.”

“Why?” His voice was dry and agitated.

“She has a lot she wants to say to you, mi Sol.”

“Is she bringing that asshole with her?”

Elena shook her head. “No, they just got divorced last year. She and your father have also made amends, but he is bringing your brother and step-mother.”

He ran his hand down his face and groaned. “What do they want from me now?”

She reached over and grabbed his hand, lightly kissing it. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but when I told Teresa that you were alive, she was so thrilled. I think they honestly want to make everything up to you.”

Frankie rested his hand on her leg and rubbed his thumb in circles over her soft skin. “You have nothing to be sorry for, mi Luna. My family is feeling guilty for almost losing me, and they’re wanting to do this to make themselves feel better. After a month or so, they’ll go back to forgetting all about me. I’ve spent my whole life without a family, and I’ll be okay without them for the rest of it.”

Pain spread across her face for him. “Your family is here, in this house. Your brothers, Rae, Mamá, Antonio, all of us. Papá made you part of the family the first day you came home. You have _never_ been without a family, and you never will.”

He smiled up at her and pulled her on top of him. “ _You_ are all the family I will ever need.”

Elena leaned down to kiss him. “I need to get dressed, and so do you. Put on something _nice_ , please.”

He moaned and rolled out of bed with her. He walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on. “Thanks, dear,” she grinned, “I was getting ready to hop in.” Elena slid past him as he was preparing to jump in and pulled the shower door closed behind her. 

He laughed and shook his head, following in after her. She flicked some water at him and pretended to frown. Frankie rolled his eyes and grabbed her by the waist, kissing her deeply. “What do you say we just stay in here all day and forget lunch?”

She smiled and tossed her arms around his neck. “I’d shrivel up into a prune.”

He gave her rear a small squeeze. “The sexiest prune.”

She ran her fingers through the little pieces of hair on the back of his neck. “If we miss lunch,” she whispered against his lips, “then my plans for later this evening will be ruined.”

“Oh?” he replied, eyebrows raised with a grin.

“Mhm,” she pecked his lips lightly, “I figured we could revisit the dock again for a late night picnic before heading back here for some dessert.”

His grin widened. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“You saved me, mi Sol,” she replied as she kissed him again.

***

Frankie paced the foyer nervously as he waited for everyone to pile out of the two cars that had pulled up. He saw his mother get out of one, alone, while the rest came out of another car. Elena watched him as she sat perched on the stairs. She slowly stood up and wrapped her arms around him to calm him. “Everything’s going to be alright,” she breathed, “I’m not going to abandon you with them.”

He kissed the top of her head and held her tight. “I just want this to be over as soon as possible,” he whispered.

There was a loud knock on the door that startled him. Elena had never seen him startle before. Normally, he was so alert and aware of his surroundings, but as soon as these people showed back up in his life, she’d noticed old habits from when they were kids begin to resurface. Before he could walk to the door, she reached for his hand. “Hey,” she said, “remember, you already have a large family that loves you no matter what.”

He kissed her knuckles and smiled. She clung to his side as he answered the door. She felt his grip tighten on her as they both gazed on the estranged Morales Family that stood before them on the porch. It had been years since Elena had seen Raul and his wife, Paola. However, she would never mistake Señor Morales for anyone but Frankie’s father. He looked so much like his son, except with cold calculating eyes and more gray hair. Paola was notably younger than Teresa, but the two women seemed to have put their differences behind them as they stood as friends before them. Standing next to Raul was a younger, and shorter version of him; no doubt, Frankie’s brother, Andres. He smiled at the older brother he’d never got the chance to know, thanks to the strained relationship Frankie had with their father. 

Elena took a deep breath as she waited for someone to break the awkward silence that hung between them. She lightly squeezed Frankie’s side, signaling him to say something. He cleared his throat and spoke in a very calculated welcome. “I was shocked to hear you were coming up today,” he said.

Everyone jumped at the sudden noise. Elena suddenly regretted agreeing to this, but she knew Teresa would have pestered until she said yes. She wasn’t surprised at Frankie’s cold “welcome”, since they’d hurt him enough over the years to even deserve that. 

Paola was the first to step forward and reach her hand out towards him. “Thank you for having us, Francisco,” she replied. She looked back at her husband and son with a scowl.

Frankie shook her hand and nodded. “Elena didn’t give me much of a choice,” he commented.

Paola glanced at Elena for some help, and she walked forward to hug his step-mother. “Happy you made it,” she replied.

She stepped into the foyer, past the two of them to set her bag on the bench that was leaned against the wall. She fixed her hair in the mirror and pretended to fidget with her dress while she waited for the rest of them to follow her lead. 

Teresa moved closer to her son and glanced at him with tears in her eyes. She reached up and rested her hand on his face. Elena noted how he didn’t move, as he watched every move the woman in front of him made. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, “I’ve failed you in so many ways.”

“I made due, Teresa,” he replied.

Elena reached for his hand and held it in hers again. She watched as Teresa nodded the tears away and joined Paola behind them. Andres reached for Frankie’s hand and smiled at him. “It’s been a long time, Frankie,” he chirped.

Frankie feigned a smile at his brother. “Seventeen years, to be exact.”

“Keeping track?” Raul coughed behind his son.

Frankie’s glare shot behind Andres. “I have better things to keep track of than that, Raul.”

“Like your girl, here?” Raul attempted a smile.

Elena noticed him stiffen as he pushed past Andres. “Her name is Elena.”

His father held his hands up in surrender. “I know, son. I remember her,” he chuckled, “I could hardly get you to come over on the weekends without her.”

Elena could feel the tension suffocating everyone around them. She cleared her throat and lightly tugged on Frankie’s hand. “Why don’t we head to the deck?”

Raul smiled at her. “We brought a cooler with some drinks.”

“Oh,” Paola chimed, “and I made some corn salad! Andres, go get those for ‘Lena.”

Elena grinned at them and turned Frankie with her to lead them through the house. “You’ve done a wonderful job with the place,” Paola continued, desperately trying to fill the awkward silence. 

“Thank you,” she replied, “A lot of the pieces we picked out before Frankie was deployed last year, and then I slowly started buying things to keep me busy. Once we’re settled, we’d love to give you a tour.”

“Oh, I don’t want to trouble you!”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Elena added as she held the door to the deck open.

Frankie stood by the door as he watched everyone find a seat comfortably distanced from each other. He watched as Raul turned and looked at the backyard. “Yard needs to be mowed,” he scoffed.

“That was my plan today,” he glared, “but I had unexpected guests.”

Elena opened the door to walk back inside, to which Frankie followed in a panic. “What are you doing?” he gasped.

She smiled at him and opened the refrigerator. “I’m getting the kabobs out to cook them. Grab the guacamole and salsa platter.”

He stood in front of her, preventing her from leaving the kitchen. “I can’t do this,” he breathed, “he’s an asshole, and I already want to slug him.”

She rested a hand on his cheek and lightly kissed him. “We can get through this, and then we never have to see them again if you don’t want to. At least Paola and Teresa are trying.”

Frankie scoffed and glared out the window. “I guess.”

He followed her back outside and set the tray down on the table. “She’s got you playing hostess, too?” Raul laughed. “You trained him well, ‘Lena.”

Elena turned and gave Raul a fake smile. “I didn’t have to train him to do anything,” she replied in a light, airy voice, “he’s always been this attentive.”

Frankie smiled at her. “Cualquier cosa para ti, mi Luna,” he winked.

She returned his smile as she watched him stoically sit down in the chair across from his father and brother. Andres leaned forward to talk to him. “Dad tells me you’re a pilot now,” he beamed.

Frankie nodded. “Primarily choppers.”

“Was that picture in the hallway your squad?”

He nodded again. “Delta Force. My best friends and brothers.”

Elena noticed how that stung Andres a little when he labeled them as such, but she could tell he understood. “I’d love to meet them someday,” he replied.

He let out a forced laugh. “They were all just here this morning. You just missed them.”

She closed the grill lid and watched the interaction. She saw Andres look disappointed as he made an effort to connect with his brother. “Mi Sol,” she smiled at him, “I’m sure Andres would love to see the lake. Why don’t the two of you head down there before the burgers are ready?”

He frowned at her, sensing her goal. “What if you need help setting the table?”

Paola chimed, “I’m sure the four of us can all handle that while you show him around.”

Andres, now embarrassed, shook his head. “No,” he said, “it’s fine. I don’t want to hold up lunch.”

Frankie saw what Elena noticed. He was trying to make an effort to get to know him, and he sighed. “Let’s go, Andy,” he chided with the nickname. That drew a smile out of him. “Afterall, this was your grandparent’s farm, too.”

“Really?”

Frankie nodded as he led him down the stairs. “So, Andres, how old are you now?” he asked in an attempt to make things less awkward.

Andres ran a few steps so he could catch up to Frankie. “I just turned nineteen. I graduated this past May.”

He smiled at him. “Congratulations. What are your plans now that you’re done with school?”

He took a deep breath and looked up to his brother. “I enlisted. I leave for bootcamp next month.”

Frankie stopped in his tracks and stared at Andres. “Really?”

He nodded. “When you left for bootcamp, I remember hearing Mom and Dad talk about it every day. They were really proud of what you were doing with your life. They told everyone when you received that Medal of Honor. I’ve wanted to make Dad as proud of me ever since.”

“Raul was proud of _me_ ,” Frankie huffed, “you’re kidding.”

Andres shook his head. “He talked about it constantly.”

Frankie turned and continued to the dock. “Well, he has a funny way of showing it.”

Andres followed him, running to catch up, again. “I know. Trust me. He’s a piece of work, honestly. You were my hero when I was a kid, even though I barely knew you. You were this larger than life figure for me. I played ball, just like you in school, because I was Frankie Morales’s little brother. They played me at shortstop and everything.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked out across the lake. “I haven’t been the best brother,” he admitted, “and for that I apologize.”

“It’s fine,” Andres sheepishly replied.

“No,” he added, “it’s not. It’s not your fault that Dad and I have no relationship. I shouldn’t have lumped you in with _them_. I’m, honestly, no better for abandoning you.”

He sighed and glanced over to Frankie. “I get it,” he confessed, “Dad isn’t the easiest to get along with. I can’t blame you for wanting to get away.”

Frankie lightly bumped his shoulder. “In a couple of weeks, my squad will be back down here for a barbecue. Why don’t you come on over and meet them? They’d be happy to scare you off bootcamp with some horror stories.”

Andres beamed at him. “Really?”

He nodded at him. “Elena will fix up the guest bedroom, so you don’t have to worry about driving home. Benny and Will might complain, because they always fight for that room,” he chuckled, “but they’ll get over it.”

He laughed with him. “I’d really like that.”

Frankie rubbed the back of his neck again and then reached for his phone in his pocket. “Put your number in so I can call you when they come down.”

***

Elena watched as Frankie handed Andres his phone, and she smiled. She did her best to ignore Raul’s comments about Frankie as she patiently waited to flip the burgers. “You would have thought the Army would have taken some of his attitude,” he mumbled to Paola.

“Stop, Raul,” she snapped, “you were a wreck two weeks ago, when you thought he was dead. So, let go whatever grievances you have, and be happy you’re spending time with your son.”

“Teresa, you haven’t even said ten words to the boy,” he argued.

“Because I don’t know what to say,” she growled, “I know I fucked up. It’s finding the right words to apologize that I’m struggling with.”

Elena opened the grill and placed the burgers on a fresh platter. She set them on the table and smiled. “I’ll grab the cheese and buns, if you want to get Frankie and Andres back up here.”

Lunch was back to being just as painfully awkward between Frankie and his parents, but Elena noticed how Andres and Frankie were different when they came back from their walk. He was so full of questions about Frankie’s time overseas, and Frankie was happy to share what he could with him. Elena leaned into him, and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her. Andres grinned at her. “So, you two have really known each other your entire lives?”

Elena nodded. “I honestly don’t remember anything before him.”

Frankie smiled and kissed the top of her head.

“So,” Paola leaned in, “how long have you been together?”

They both chuckled and looked at each other. “Honestly?” Frankie added, “since last year. But, probably longer than that.”

Andres grinned at both of them. “You’ve known each other since you were five, and you just got together last year?”

“It’s a long story,” Elena replied, “about twenty-six year’s worth of story.”

Raul laughed and tossed his arm around Paola. “Glad to see you took some of my advice at least.”

Frankie frowned at him and shook his head. “Excuse me?”

He motioned at the two of them with his beer can. “It was that summer your senior year when you’d spent a few weeks with us on vacation in Houston. You’d brought Elena with you, and she and Paola went shopping. Remember?”

He shook his head and continued to frown at Raul.

“Andres, you, and I went to a ball game. We talked about Elena, and I told you that if you waited too long, she’d find someone else. I told you that you’d never find anyone that will put up with you the way she did. So, you might as well settle with her.”

Frankie removed his arm from Elena and leaned forward across the table. “First off, I’m not settling. She’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and I can’t believe that she stuck around. I’ve put her through enough shit, that a normal woman would have taken off, but she’s so incredible that she stayed. Second, you weren’t the first or the last person to tell me to do something. In fact, Elliott Bohannon was the first one.”

Raul scoffed. “Elliott Bohannon…”

“Don’t even,” Frankie warned, “that man was my father. He did what you couldn’t and raised me. Every father-son discussion I should have had with you was with that man. He taught me how to treat women and how to act like a man. I am who I am because of him.”

Elena reached for his hand and held it in her lap, trying to calm him. 

“Elliott and Gloria were just grooming you to take care of their daughter, because they couldn’t. They were too busy with their shop and their ranch to raise their children, so they forced you in with them to keep her preoccupied and out of trouble.”

“Raul!” Paola barked.

“I’m serious! What man in their right mind would invite a _young_ _boy_ to live in their house with their young daughter? What man would let this boy run around with her unsupervised?”

“I respected them!” Frankie exclaimed. “They cared more about me than my own parents did. I would never do anything that would make them disappointed in me or Elena, for that matter. They knew how I felt about her even before I did, and they still trusted me. They knew they raised a good son!”

Teresa leaned forward past Elena to look at Frankie. “Frankie,” she softly said, “I know I could have been a better mother, but I’m glad you were able to find someone to give you what I couldn’t.”

He glanced at his mother, rage in his eyes. “Seriously? You abandoned me. You married Jack and left me to his drunken nights when you were passed out on the floor from whatever was flowing through your veins that night. You didn’t even think _twice_ about it when Elliott came to ask if I could live with them.”

“Because I knew you’d be happier there, dear,” she choked, “I was in no state to raise a son after your father left me. You refused to go stay with him, and I didn’t know what to do anymore!”

Raul chuckled. “You should be thanking us, honestly.”

“For what?” Frankie crossed his arms and glared between his parents.

“Without all this shit, you never would have made it here. Hell, Elena would probably have found someone better.”

“Fuck off, Raul,” he growled, “I owe the two of you _nothing_.”

“Stop.” Andres barked, slamming his hands on the table. Everyone turned to look at him. “We are supposed to be here celebrating the fact that we have him back. He’s not dead. Dad, at least Teresa is able to admit she wronged Frankie. So, stop trying to guilt him into thinking he owes you for the life he has no, because he doesn’t; even I know you were a shitty father to him.”

Paola smiled at her son and nodded. “Why don’t you tell him how proud you are of him? How you showed everyone that picture of him in the newspaper for months. We all failed Frankie, and he doesn’t need to constantly be reminded of it. Start over. I know it’s hard for you, dear, but admit that you’re wrong. Otherwise, you will lose your son, forever.”

Raul glanced over to Teresa and sighed. “I’m sorry, Frankie.”

Frankie stared at him, waiting for more. He impatiently tapped his finger against his glass, raising an eyebrow at him - encouraging Raul to continue.

“I’m sorry that I walked out on you and your mother all those years ago, and I never looked back. I’m glad that you had someone in your life that raised you to be the man that I’m honestly incredibly proud of. You know I am too proud to ever admit that I was the one who messed up. Elliott is up there smiling down on both of you.”

“Thank you,” he scoffed, “but I’m not the only one you owe an apology to.”

Raul glanced over to Elena. “I’m sorry, Elena,” he sighed, “I was caught up in the heat of the argument and said some things about your parents that I shouldn’t have.”

“Thank you, Raul,” Elena softly replied. 

He looked over at Frankie again, who just gave him a curt nod before turning back to his sandwich. Elena leaned against his shoulder and lightly squeezed his hand. She noticed the air was different. Despite the argument, she could tell that Frankie felt lighter. And he did. He felt a huge weight lift off him as he was finally able to tell his father exactly how he felt. He could let out all the pent up aggression he had held on to his entire life. Frankie felt at peace with everything. He still had no desire to build a relationship with Raul, but he felt he could finally heal from all the wounds from his past. 

Lunch passed, and they were able to have comfortable small talk conversations that Paola and Elena kept going for too long. She’d even invited them to come to her restaurant after it opened in a couple weeks, to which Paola and Teresa happily accepted. Soon, the sun was hidden behind the trees, and Raul noted they should get going. “I think we’ve over stayed our welcome,” he said, standing up.

They followed the Morales’ to the door. “Thank you again for lunch,” Teresa said. She turned to look at Frankie. “I’m so happy for you, Frankie. You have a beautiful home and a wonderful girl.”

“Thanks, Teresa,” he said. Elena’s jaw dropped when he leaned forward and hugged her. “It honestly hurts that it took me dying for you to realize how much you fucked me over, but thanks for trying to make it up. Elena told me what you did for her while I was gone.”

“I wanted to do right by you,” she sniffed and wiped her eyes, “I knew you’d be more worried about her than anyone.”

“I was.” He glanced over at her and grinned. “She’s my world. I don’t care how you treat me, but her? I will always care how you treat her.”

Paola hugged Elena. “He’s lucky to have you,” she added.

Elena shook her head with a few tears in her eyes. “No,” she retorted, “I’m the lucky one.”

Andres hugged Elena next. “Frankie said to come over for the next barbeque.”

“Of course! The guys would love to meet you,” she smiled, “I’ll make sure you get the guest bedroom.”

Raul turned to Frankie and stuck out his hand. “I know I give you a hard time,” he sighed, “but I really am proud of what you’ve done with your life.”

Frankie shook his hand and nodded. “Thanks.”

They stood on the porch and watched them slowly back up and drive down the driveway. Frankie let out the breath he had been holding all afternoon and pulled Elena to him. “How do you feel?” She asked.

He gazed down at her, running his hands down her back. “I feel like a huge weight lifted off me. I was finally able to tell my old man what a piece of shit he is, and it felt amazing. It was nice hearing he’s actually proud of me, though.”

She laughed. “It looked like you and Andres worked through some stuff too.”

He nodded. “For his sake, I will put up with his asshole of a father. It’s not his fault.” She grinned and kissed him. “As for my mother. I started to forgive her the minute you said she was here for you. I was being serious when I said I only care about how they treat you.”

“I only care about how they treat you, mi Sol,” she replied.

He smiled and pulled her closer to him. “I believe you promised me some special plans?”

She laughed and lightly slapped his ass. “You’re incorrigible.”

“What!’ Frankie chuckled. “It’s been a while since we’ve been alone.”

Elena pulled away and walked back to the kitchen where she grabbed a bag. “I’ve packed some essentials in here.”

“When did you have time to do that?” he laughed, following her out the backdoor across the yard.

“When I came inside to do the dishes.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the dock, just like she used to; like always, he blindly followed her, trusting her to lead him anywhere. They reached the dock as she gently laid out a large blanket. She sat down and started unloading the snacks she’d packed them, but he started placing everything back. “What are you doing?” She laughed.

“I had something else in mind,” he grinned, “I believe we have some unfinished business out here.”

She giggled as he wrapped an arm around her. Frankie gently laid her back against the smooth, plaid quilt and kissed her. She closed her eyes and held his face in her hands while she slowly crept her fingers back to run through his hair. He broke away from her for only a moment as he gazed down at her with a smile of pure love and adoration. “You really are incredible, do you know that?”

She blushed and laughed.

“I’m serious. When I think I can’t love you anymore, you’re standing there beside me through the worst of it. I love you, Elena,” he said before kissing her again. 

Their hands traveled down each other as they clumsily removed articles of clothing. His shirt was the first to go, followed quickly by hers. She chuckled again and stopped him. “Are you seriously going to fuck me on this dock?”

He eyed her half-naked body beneath him. “I would call it making love, but that was the general idea, yeah.”

She laughed and wrapped her leg around him to pull him down on her. “Just save some energy for my ‘general idea’ of dessert.”

Frankie raised an eyebrow at her and gave her a devilish grin. “Remember, stamina is the least of my concerns.”

Elena giggled as he kissed her delicately and then ravenously. He nipped at her warm, sensitive flesh at the base of her neck as his hands slid up her sides. His touch was something that she’d missed. She let out a soft sigh when his fingers danced over the fabric of her bra. She lightly tugged on his hair, causing him to growl against her skin before returning to her mouth. His hands left her breasts and made their way to the button of her shorts, where he undid it with ease. She lifted her hips so he could slip the rough material down her legs. He knelt over her and grinned. It didn’t matter how many times he saw her like this, she always blushed. He found it so endearing. “Luna,” he breathed, “you always take my breath away.”

She smiled and covered her face. Frankie reached for her hands and pulled them away. He turned and kissed her palm, then her wrist, and slowly made his way up her arm. He toyed with her bottom lip, nipping at it before deepening his kiss and moving down her body. Even after a year and three weeks of separation, he knew exactly every spot to touch to get the reactions he loved out of her. Her soft moans and whimpers were sounds he’d longed to hear. 

Frankie didn’t wait a second longer once he’d made it past her hip bones, as he moved right in - running his tongue up and down her center. This drew out loud cries from her as one hand grabbed his hair and the other what she could grab of the blanket under her. His name rolled off her tongue the longer he spent exploring her with his mouth. He let his thumb massage her as she ground her hips against him, begging for more. He stopped for a moment, coming up for air and glistening with her on his face. She grinned at him as she watched him wet one of his fingers before running it in and down her walls slowly. She let out a strained groan as he leaned up to kiss her. Frankie sent in another finger, resting his palm against her. His fingers moved in and out, stretching her, moving in circles as they drove her to the point of madness. She rocked her hips in his hand to create more friction between herself and his hand as he massaged her. He could feel her getting close as her body began to shake and clench around him. He moved his head back down to her clit and tasted the pleasure pouring out of her as he brought her to her climax. She choked back a sob before crying out his name as she came around him. He continued for a few more seconds to let her finish before sitting up to remove his own pants.

Elena didn’t have time to think between the time she heard his belt snap off and when he slid into her. He let out a hiss and rested in her for a minute, looking deep into her eyes as she wrapped her legs around him. “I’ll never get used to how good you feel, mi Luna,” he murmured in a raspy voice.

She pulled him closer to her and kissed him deeper. He pulled out at an excruciatingly slow pace, and moved back in just as gentle. Elena whimpered against him, burning for more. But he kept this pace up for as long as he could. “More, Frankie,” she begged, “please.”

Her voice was so soft and sultry that he almost came from the chills it gave him. This time when he rocked his hips, he felt her buck underneath him, and he knew that he couldn’t keep torturing her any longer. He moved at a faster pace, a steady rhythm that pulled even the deep guttural growls out from him that she loved so much. Elena’s hands latched onto his arms as he thrust harder into her, their panting flooding the air around them. She pinched her lips together, humming as she nodded against him. “Don’t stop,” she breathed.

“Never,” was all he could utter. He was lost in her sounds and her touch, and fuck - the feel of her around him as he moved in a rhythmic way he never thought was possible. Her hips were grinding against his, in sync with his movements and giving him better access to thrust deeper into her. 

“Frankie,” she whimpered, “I -”

“I know,” he groaned. He was close too. 

He felt her toes curl as she ran her legs up and down his. Her body began to quiver under him as his thrust became more methodic and precise. She moaned and threw her head back against the dock as he sped up. She felt her body clench around him as a fever spread throughout her body when she gasped and cried his name. She felt a burst of ecstasy that reached the ends of her toes as she continued to thrust her body onto him. His movements became less rhythmic and more sporadic as he reached his climax. He buried his face into her neck, grunting as he felt himself spill into the latex that was wrapped around him. He let himself pump in and out a few more times, making sure they were both satisfied and finished before he stopped and rested above her.

They looked at each other, completely out of breath, and smiled. He leaned down to kiss her before rolling over on his side and cleaning up the mess between them. He watched as her chest went up and down, obviously trying to catch up on her breathing. “Who would have guessed this is where tonight would have led us?” he chuckled as he leaned back on his elbow to look at her.

She rested her hand on his face and smiled. She continued gazing into his eyes as she wrapped her leg around him and pulled him closer to her. “This poor dock has seen some things.”

He nodded and moved some hair out of her face and off her shoulder. “There was this and last year.”

“And don’t forget that one night, the summer after our senior year…”

He nodded and smiled, “When we had too much to drink?”

She kissed his nose. “And we both agreed that it was the alcohol that led to us making out down here.”

Frankie chuckled and rubbed his nose against hers. “If only we knew then, what we knew now.”

Elena kissed him again before leaning up and grabbing her clothes. “Now,” she continued, “Mister Morales. Eat, so you’re ready for the dessert I have planned back at the house.”

“I already ate, mi Luna.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she watched him slide his jeans back on. “I’m not the meal I had planned.”

“No,” he grinned and leaned over to kiss her, “but you taste better than any meal I’ve had.”

Elena blushed and chuckled. “Hand me the bag so we can eat _real_ food, mi Sol.”

He did as she requested and grinned at her while she passed him food to set out on the wrinkled blanket. “I can’t wait to make up for the year I’ve missed,” he said as he bit into the sandwich she’d packed him. 

“Oh?” she grinned, taking a drink of Coke. “And how are you going to do that?”

“I’ve got a few ideas in mind. Starting with tonight,” he said, leaning over for another kiss. 

She happily obliged as they continued eating and watching the sun completely disappear behind the trees and eventually the horizon. Frankie loved watching Elena bask in the moonlight. She practically glowed against the white light and the small lantern she’d lit. She was more beautiful than anything or anyone he’d ever seen. “I could just look at you forever,” he whispered, moving hair off her shoulder.

She blushed again and looked at him. “I’ve never felt more beautiful than when I’m with you,” she replied bashfully.

“Well, then I’m going to remind you everyday, even when I’m not there just how beautiful you are.” He leaned back on his elbows and continued smiling at her. She would glance over at him, but then gaze out across the lake and stare at the reflections of the moon and stars in the still water. These celestial bodies paled in comparison to his Luna.

***

Elena had managed to reschedule the opening of her restaurant so all of Delta Force could be there. Will and Benny stayed with them on the farm, while Tom stayed with Santi. They boys had gladly accepted Andres with open arms when they met him, which Frankie was proud of. They even invited him to join them as part of their crew when they attended the grand opening. Benny slung his arm around Andres and grinned, “I’m so glad I’m no longer the youngest of the group. Shit rolls down hill, little brother.”

“Hey!” Frankie said as he ran down the stairs, dressed in a suit. “No hazing mi hermanito. He hasn’t even left for bootcamp yet.”

“Well, look who’s all cleaned up!” Benny added.

He shook his head and shoved Benny. “Fuck you, Benny.”

Will strolled back into the house. “Let’s go!” he exclaimed. “Everyone else is already there waiting.”

Elena appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a long flowing blue gown. She had her hair pulled back into a low braid that twisted into an elegant bun with short pieces hanging loose to frame her face. Frankie’s heart stopped as he watched her glide down the stairs like some ethereal being. Andres laughed and nudged him. “Are you alive in there?”

“Barely,” Benny answered, “he gets like this every time she enters the room.”

Frankie rolled his eyes and glared at him. “Again, fuck you, Benny.”

Elena wrapped her arm around his and followed everyone out to the Escalade they’d rented for the occasion. Frankie offered to drive, with Elena in the front next to him. “Pope said the line to get in is outrageous. I thought you said everyone made reservations,” Will said.

She nodded and turned to look at him. “They did. I’m sure the crowd is our waitlist, hoping to get in if someone cancels. Many of the guests are people who’ve flown in from New York.”

“Nice!”

She smiled. “I called in a few favors.”

They pulled into the parking lot reserved for the staff behind the building and walked in. Elena’s family and the rest of her friends stood in the dining room excitedly waiting for her to cut the metaphoric ribbon. Cal was there with her mother’s arm wrapped out his. Elena beamed and ran to his arms. “You made it!”

“Of course,” he said, kissing her cheek, “I wouldn’t miss this for this world.”

She took a deep breath and looked around at everyone in the room. A waitress came by with champagne flutes for everyone and she led them in a small toast. “I want to thank all of you for your support. This year has been a rough one, and now I finally have my restaurant and my family back. With all the delays I’ve faced with this building, I thought we’d never open. But now, everything has fallen into the right place. So, thank you for everything you’ve done to help me achieve my dream here in my own back yard. Cheers to all of you and cheers to _Sol’s_.”

They all cheered and took a celebratory drink before following Elena to the front doors. Everyone stood back while she approached them to walk out alone. She froze and turned to find Frankie. She reached for him, and he gladly stepped forward and took her hand. “I’m not going anywhere, mi Luna,” he whispered as they stepped through the doors. 

Instantly, cameras flashed as they stood together in front of the building. “Elena!” a reporter called, “Katy Williams, _Food_ _and_ _Wine_ _Magazine_. What made you move from New York?”

“I grew up down here and have always wanted to open a restaurant in my hometown,” she smiled.

“ _Sol’s_ _NYC_ is rebranding now. Do you think that is a wise decision since it is already so well established there?”

“I do,” Elena continued, “it is still under the same management as it was last year. Nothing is going to change, except the name. _Sol’s NYC_ will be just as, if not, more successful.”

“And you, sir, what do you have to say for Ms. Bohannon’s achievements? Did you have any influence on her decision to move so far from the epicenter of food culture?”

Frankie was caught off guard by the reporter’s sudden interest in him. “Um,” he stumbled, “I couldn’t be more proud of what she’s done in the year she’s worked on this. I would argue that I had no influence on her decision, because no matter what she decides, I will always support her.”

Elena smiled at him and then turned back to the reporter. “That’s enough questions for now,” she said, “please schedule a time with my head of PR for an extended interview.” She cleared her throat and addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for coming to the grand opening of _Sol’s y Luna’s_. I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this place with all of you. Please be patient with my staff as we take in our reservations and seat you accordingly. I am thrilled to say that we are completely booked for the evening. Thank you, all of you for your support.”

The hostess stepped forward and handed Elena a pair of scissors that would cut through the ribbon they stretched across the door behind them. The crowd applauded as everyone filed inside behind Elena. She and Frankie joined her family in the back private room while her wait staff finally began serving customers. Elena was flitting between the kitchen and the dining room, occasionally the hostess station all night. She’d hardly sat down to enjoy the food while she entertained VIP guests and helped when help was needed. Frankie watched her diligently, pity in his eyes as he felt bad she was not enjoying her success. Santi leaned over to him and watched Elena too. “Take her up to the bar,” he said, “I’m sure it’ll be peaceful up there. She can relax. You can take her mind off the stress down here for a while.”

Frankie glanced at him and nodded. “That’s not a bad idea,” he said, “but I doubt she’ll listen to me.”

“Don’t give her a choice. Just grab her hand and lead her away.”

He took a deep breath and stood up, straightening his jacket and making himself look presentable before joining her in the dining room. She was standing at the bar looking over the computer screen with the bartender when he found her. He waited until she was finished before taking her hand. “What are you doing?” she asked with a smile.

“Just come with me. I want to show you something upstairs.”

She looked around the restaurant that was running smoother than expected and decided she needed to take a break. The rooftop bar was much more secluded than the restaurant, and a perfect place for her to relax for a few minutes. They took the elevator to the top, where they had a few moments of reprieve from the crowd. Frankie nuzzled her for just a second before the doors opened and they were at _Luna’s_ rooftop bar. The crowd was much smaller up here as they glanced around and looked at the furniture placed throughout the area. Strands of lights adorned the area above them and created a peaceful atmosphere as soft music played over the speakers. 

Frankie led her to the edge of the rooftop so they could look out across what they could see of the city. Below, in front of them was a small park that was lit up by the little lamps and street lights. It was beautiful, and perfect. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her and swayed with her as she rested her head on his chest. “I kept postponing this,” she whispered, “until you came home. And, when I thought I lost you, I knew there was no way I could do this without you. This is our place. I didn’t want to come here without you by my side.”

He grinned against her hair and kissed the top of her head. “I’m not going anywhere anymore, mi Luna.” He knew this was it. This was his moment, and so he spun her around to look at him. “Luna,” he said, his hands starting to shake. “I never would have thought, when we were five years old, that I would be standing here.” He ran his thumbs over her knuckles and looked deep into her eyes. “But then again, at five years old, I knew you were my one and only.”

“What are you talking about?” She asked, although almost certain she knew where this was going.

Elena watched him take a deep shaky breath. “We’ve been through so much together, that I honestly can’t believe we’ve made it through it all. You continue to amaze me every day with how incredible you are and I love you more and more each and every moment. ‘I can’t fight it anymore. I ran away from you once. I can’t do it again.’” She saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a small navy blue box as he got down on one knee in front of her. Slowly, Frankie opened the box and revealed a beautiful silver band with diamonds inlaid in it, surrounding a much more beautiful and larger princess cut diamond. “So, now I ask you, Elena Esperanza Bohannon Martinez, will you marry me?”

Elena covered her mouth and tried to stop tears from flowing down her cheeks as she stared between the ring and Frankie. She nodded rapidly and cried, “Yes!” Her smile lit up her entire face as she leapt into his arms kissing him over and over again.  
  


Frankie’s heart skipped so many beats that he was almost certain it stopped as he held onto her. He had a hard time believing this was real until he slipped the ring onto her finger. Perfect fit. “Frankie,” she sighed, “it’s so beautiful.”

He watched her gaze at the ring and beamed. He just knew that he could die from utter happiness in this moment, and he would be fine with it. Frankie reached for her hand and kissed it. “Luna,” he said, a lump forming in his throat, “you’ve made me the happiest man alive. I just wish Pops…”

She rested her hands on the side of his face. “He’s here, and he’s just as happy as we are.” She kissed his lips delicately as the rooftop bar cheered towards them, obviously aware of what happened. 

Frankie felt a gentle tug on his coat sleeve as he reluctantly let go of Elena and turned to find the source. He saw a woman standing next to them beaming with tears in her eyes. “I don’t mean to interrupt,” she grinned, “but I took pictures of the whole thing, and my husband caught the video.”

Elena smiled. “Thank you.”

“I doubt the two of you remember me, but I was there last year at the restaurant.”

Both Frankie and Elena stared at her completely confused. “I’m sorry…”

“You two were arguing about some girl named Nora?”

“Beth!” her husband exclaimed from behind her.

“Oh, stop, Dan, I am invested! Anyway, I am so happy to see the two of you worked it out.” She smiled at them and handed her phone to Elena to get the pictures. “I saw you were opening a restaurant here, and curiosity got the best of me. I just _had_ to see what happened between the two of you. There was so much love when you fought, that I knew you’d work out your differences.”

Elena chuckled and looked at Frankie. They remembered the fight she referenced. “I believe we both snapped at you at one point.”

She nodded. “Oh, you did. But I knew it wasn’t personal. You were hurting.” She turned to her husband. “Get over here so you can send them the video!”

The older gentleman with salt and pepper hair grumbled as he walked over to them. “I apologize for my nosy wife.”

Frankie smiled. “Honestly, thank you. If you weren’t so,” he paused to find the right word, “invested, we wouldn’t have these pictures.”

Beth smiled at her husband and then turned back to them. “I’m glad the two of you are getting the ending you deserve. We will let you celebrate in peace now,” she said as she and her husband returned to their dinners.

Elena wrapped her arms around Frankie’s neck and sighed. She smiled as she gazed at her fiancé with all the love in the world. Tears were forming at the rims of her eyes the longer she stared at him. “I love you, Francisco Morales. You saved me in more ways than one, and I never want to live another moment without you. If we could run away tomorrow and get married, I would.”

He laughed. “Gloria would stop that in a heartbeat. Besides, I’ve always wanted to see you walking down that aisle in a white dress.”

She kissed him deeply and ran her fingers through the curls on the back of his neck. “Let’s stay up here for a little while longer. If we head back now, there’s no more celebrating alone.”

He smiled and kissed her. “I don’t mind keeping you to myself for a little while longer.” There was a squeal coming from behind them. “Unless Santi opened his fat mouth and told your mother what I was planning.”

Elena laughed. “He always has impeccable timing.”

“I swear if he calls us tonight or in the morning before we get out of bed, I will kill him.”

She chuckled again. “I’ll help you, this time, my love.”

They broke apart and saw the entire crew rushing towards them from the elevator doors. Being part of such a large family, they knew to expect this. The celebration was going to last for days before either of them would have a chance to celebrate alone. Gloria and Rae were already rattling off ideas for the wedding while the guys were joking with both Frankie and Elena and giving them a hard time. But through it all, they kept their eyes trained on each other, happier than they’d ever been and more in love than ever. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie and Elena’s well deserved happy ending.

_“Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born - you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.” - e.e. cummings_

Frankie blinked and squinted his eyes as the morning light flooded the room. He saw Elena still clinging to him in her sleep, and suddenly memories from the night before entered his mind. He grinned when he saw her left hand sprawled across his chest, proudly displaying the ring he’d slid on her finger not sixteen hours before. His heart skipped a few beats as he gazed down at her, the most beautiful woman in the world curled up in his arms. He lightly ran his fingers up and down her sides as he looked over at the alarm clock. 8:00 AM. Frankie chuckled at the fact no one had called to interrupt them. 

Will and Benny were gracious enough to stay out late with Andres before returning home after celebrating Elena’s restaurant and their engagement. He leaned his head back against the pillow as he continued to run his fingers up and down her side, picturing their future together - a vision they both had shared for years and never spoke of. He could feel himself slowly start drifting off to sleep when she stirred next to him. He glanced down at her and saw her smiling up at him. “Good morning,” she whispered.

He grinned. “Good morning.” He sighed and ran his hand down the back of her hair. “I can get used to waking up to you like this.”

She beamed even more and craned her neck for a kiss, to which he happily obliged. She sighed and rested her head on his chest, running her fingers up and down his stomach. He rested his hand on her side, and did the same. “You know,” he continued, “I bought that ring last year.”

Elena chuckled. “Did you really?”

“Mhm. I had Rae get your ring size for me, and then I sent her payments for the ring I’d picked out before I left. She picked up the ring the day we landed and gave it to me then.”

She turned to look at him. “She knew this whole time?”

He nodded and smiled. “They all did. Pope gave me the idea to propose last night,” he took a deep breath, “and I’d never been more nervous in my life.”

“Oh, did you think I’d say no?” Elena chuckled. 

Frankie blushed and shrugged. “At first. But then I was just nervous about what I was going to say.”

She sighed and leaned up to kiss him again, lingering on his lips a little longer. “It was perfect,” she whispered, kissing him again, “you’re perfect.”

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. He kissed her even deeper, tasting every bit of her. They abruptly pulled away from each other when they heard a crash come from the level below. “What the fuck are they doing down there?” Frankie grumbled.

They heard footsteps running up the stairs, and Elena quickly pulled the sheets up around herself. There was a loud knock on the door. “Hey, guys,” Andres’ voice came through the wood, “don’t worry about the crash. Benny’s cleaning it up. Just, make sure you’re decent in a five.”

“What the fuck are you doing out there?” Frankie shouted.

“Just…” he paused, “don’t worry about it!”

Elena laughed as she heard him run back down the stairs. “I better put on a shirt or something.”

She leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed the dress shirt that Frankie had on the night before. He watched her slowly button the top before pulling the blankets back up around her. “Never thought that cheap shirt would look so sexy,” he smiled, moving closer to her, “but now, all I want to do is take it off of you.”

Elena chuckled, and held the shirt closer to her. “If they’re coming back, I would like to be clothed, mi Sol.”

There was another knock on the door, and Frankie growled in frustration. “Are you guys decent enough for us to come in?” Benny asked through the door.

“Um, yeah?” Frankie replied, annoyed and confused.

Slowly, the door cracked open with Will and Andres holding trays of breakfast food on them. “What is this?” Elena beamed at them.

“We decided to treat you both to a little something special as a celebration for last night,” Benny childishly grinned.

“It was Andy’s idea,” Will said, glaring at Benny, “and it was mainly for Elena.”

“Gee, thanks,” Frankie mumbled as he held the tray, trying to get situated under it.

“Well, she deserves it!” Benny exclaimed as he took the tray from Andres and set it in front of Elena. “She hardly sat down last night, and _Andy_ , here, didn’t want her waiting on us this morning.”

She glanced down at the pancakes and eggs on the platter and smiled. “Thank you so much, you guys.” She, then, glanced at Benny concerned. “What was the crash I heard?”

“That crash is cleaned up,” he grinned, “and you’ll never miss the plate.”

She glared at him as she took a bite of the food, but then her expression changed to surprised and impressed. “Who made these?”

“I did,” Benny and Will said at the same time.

Will glared at Benny and then back to Elena with a smile. “Well, these are delicious, and I appreciate the breakfast in bed,” she grinned as she took another bite.

The three of them smiled and ducked out of the room, closing the door behind them. Frankie stabbed at a bite on his plate with his fork and glanced over to Elena. “I’m shocked,” he breathed, “like actually surprised. Who knew these assholes could cook?”

She slapped his shoulder. “They aren’t assholes,” she said, taking another bite, “besides, I think it’s sweet your brother got them to play along.”

Frankie laughed and shook his head. “He’s a good kid. He’s also trying to get you to be on his side.”

“For what?”

“Well,” he began, taking another bite, “he and Raul got into the other night, and Raul kicked him out.”

“Of course he can stay here,” Elena said, suddenly pissed at Frankie’s father. 

She moved the tray to the ground and stepped out of bed, the shirt barely covering her. She rummaged through her drawers for some shorts. Frankie watched her wiggle into them before she made her way across the room. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“To talk to your brother.” She opened the door and made her way downstairs with her empty tray, looking for Andres. She found him in an almost clean kitchen with Will and Benny, who were drying and putting away dishes.

“Elena!” he exclaimed, as he ran over to grab the tray from her. “I would have come up in a few to get the dishes.”

“It’s no big deal, Andres,” she said, “can we talk?”

“Sure!” He dried his hands and tossed the towel at Benny. “You can finish up here, right, Ben?”

Benny flipped him off as Andres followed Elena into the living room. She motioned for him to sit next to her on the couch. “Frankie said you need a place to stay,” she said.

His demeanor changed and she watched him shrink away. “Yeah, Raul and I got into it when I was leaving to come here the other night,” he said.

She grabbed his hand and looked at him. “If you ever need a place to stay, you are more than welcomed to stay here as long as you need to.”

He sighed and avoided her eyes. “I feel terrible asking,” he added, “but I had nowhere else to turn. I just don’t want to be _that_ brother.”

“Nonsense,” she comforted, “you’re family, and this is what family does for each other.”

“Thanks, Elena,” he sighed, “my mom said it’s probably a good idea to let him cool down for a little while before going home.”

“You can stay for as long as you need to.”

They heard Frankie coming down the stairs and Andres hopped up to help him with his breakfast dishes. He happily handed him the tray and joined Elena on the couch. He tossed his hand behind her and she curled up next to him. They smiled as they heard Benny bickering with Andres and Will over the dishes. This was their life now, and they loved every second of it. Benny was the first to come in and sit down in the chair adjacent to them. “So,” he started, “Will and I have some big news for you guys. Santi, Rae, and Tom heard about it last night.”

“Glad to see we’re the last two to find out,” Frankie chided.

Benny chuckled and rolled his eyes. Will plopped down next to Elena and threw his arm around the back of the couch. “Well, our mom and dad have decided they’re selling their place to travel the country.”

“Yep, so we’re both moving down here. You know, to be closer to family,” Benny grinned.

Elena smiled at them. “That’s fantastic,” she said, “because the second we start wedding planning, I’m putting you two to work.”

“On second thought,” Benny added.

“Oh no,” Frankie laughed, “you’re not getting out of this one.”

The doorbell rang, and Andres jumped up to answer. “It’s probably everyone else,” Benny said.

Santi, Rae, and Tom walked in, dressed in their swimsuits. “Pops gave me the boat today,” Santi said, “so we can go out on the lake.”

“I’ll pack us some lunches,” Elena said as she hopped up.

“Already taken care of,” Rae said proudly, “we stopped at the store and picked up some sandwiches. I also grabbed chips, and packed some Cokes for the two of you.”

“We need to leave now, because Gloria has a mini-party planned tonight, starting at 7,” Santi added.

Elena and Frankie exchanged knowing glances. This was something they both had laughed about on the ride home from her restaurant. Peace as they knew it would cease to exist, at least until after their first year of marriage. When Elena’s siblings both got engaged, Gloria threw each of them two engagement parties: One the weekend they got engaged, and the other the weekend before the wedding. They joked about eloping, but they knew Elena’s mother would never forgive them if they did. 

Frankie stood, and they both retreated back up to their bedroom for their swimsuits and a beach bag. He grinned as he watched her slide into her two piece and pull on her swim wrap. “What?” she smiled, glancing back at him. 

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Just when I think I can’t be anymore in love with you,” he kissed her.

Elena blushed and played with the curls at the base of his neck. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m glad I punched that bully in the face twenty-five years ago.”

Frankie laughed and rubbed his nose on hers. “I’m glad I slugged Liam in the face last year.”

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his, appreciating this moment they had together and recognizing that had she continued to be blind her life would look exceedingly different.

***

Rae and Elena were stretched out on the boat while the guys had abandoned ship to cool off in the lake. Elena closed her eyes and tossed her arms over her head with a sigh. “So,” Rae said as she applied more sunscreen, “have you put any thought into your wedding at all?”

Elena shielded her eyes and peeked at her through her eyelids. “Seriously?” Elena laughed, “it hasn’t even been twenty four hours since he’s asked.”

Rae rolled her eyes. “Oh come on,” she replied, tossing the lotion bottle back in her bag, “you’ve been planning this wedding since you were five.”

She leaned her head back, grinning. “I have thought about where I would like to get married, and it’s not the same church that my siblings were married.”

“Where?”

Elena rolled over and looked at Rae with misty eyes. “There’s this little chapel north of San Antonio. It’s tucked away off the main roads. Just this perfect little country chapel. It’s where my parents were married.”

Rae smiled. “I think that’s sweet, and you know Frankie will say yes. Hell, he’d marry you at the courthouse if that’s what you wanted.”

“Damn it, Benny!” they heard Frankie exclaim. 

Elena saw his hat get tossed back over the side of the boat before splashing and more shouting ensued. Rae glanced over her shoulder at them and burst out a loud laugh when she saw Frankie disappear under the water and a panicked Benny looking around for him. Next thing she noticed, Benny was dragged beneath the waves. “I think Frankie might kill him,” she said.

Elena leaned back and shrugged. “He probably deserved it.”

“Elena! Call him off!” she heard Benny cry.

“Frankie, stop,” she said in the least convincing tone. 

She felt the boat shift back and forth, signifying that someone had boarded. Elena sighed and sat up, staring at a dripping wet, devilishly handsome Frankie, who was grinning ear to ear with a very childish smile. “Luna,” he breathed, “I do believe I owe you one.”

“Owe me one what?” She looked at him confused.

He took two large strides toward her and scooped her into his arms before she had time to react. “I think you know,” he grinned. 

The guys were cheering as they watched Elena flail and scream. “Frankie, don’t you dare! I swear to God, put me down!”

“If you insist, mi amor,” he said as he tossed her over the side of the boat. 

She plunged into the water, the chill of it stinging her skin. When she swam to the surface, so looked around for him, glaring. “Oh, it’s over now,” she grinned, “Benny, will you do the honors?”

“It will be my pleasure,” he replied, diving into the water after Frankie. 

Rae gracefully joined them, and swam to Santi, wrapping her arms around him. They all watched as Frankie dunked Benny again before swimming over to Elena for protection. “You think I’m going to help you after you threw me into the lake?”

“I told you, payback. For that time you pulled me in when we went fishing.”

Elena spun around and wrapped her arms around him. “Payback, huh?” she grinned. 

Frankie leaned forward and whispered softly in her ear, “I’ll make up for it later.”

Chills ran up and down her spine as she shivered in the water. “Gross, man!” Will exclaimed, splashing them both. “Poor Andy here doesn’t want to watch this.” 

They both glanced over at him and laughed. “ He’s nineteen. I’m sure he’s heard worse,” Frankie chuckled.

Andres made a gagging face at him and shook his head. “Hey, as long as I’m staying there, I will _respectfully_ avoid being at the house if you two need alone time.”

Benny swam over to Andres and slung his arm around him. “At least you ship out soon enough that you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Hey,” Frankie added, “as long as you’re on leave for the wedding.”

Andres glanced at Frankie with a few tears in his eyes. He was shocked to hear his brother wanted him at his wedding. He was grateful that he was able to build a relationship with him over these last few weeks. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Elena and Frankie smiled at each other. They’d laid in bed last night and had already planned the easiest part of their wedding: the wedding party. And Frankie had asked her what she thought about having Andres as a groomsman. Elena naturally loved the idea. They both agreed that they weren’t going to start asking them just yet, because they wanted to revel in their happiness for just a little while longer. 

Any time Frankie looked at her, he couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to marry him. For as long as he’d know her and as long as he had loved her, he dreamed of this moment. Elliott’s words still rang in his ears every time he thought about it. “There will come a time, mijo, when you’re going to see what we’ve all seen since you were five. And once that veil is lifted, your life will change forever. Everything you do will be for her, and she for you. The two of you won’t be able to think of a life where the other isn’t there. You will always have this ache in your heart that will burn through you every time you see her, and you’ll thank God for the simple fact that she chose you.”

Elliott was right. The second he realized that he was in love with Elena, his life changed forever. He loved his brothers; they were closer than any group of friends he’d ever had. But then there was his Luna. She was his best friend, his everything, and he didn’t want to imagine a second without her. He watched her as she laughed, and found himself falling even harder for her. Santi and Rae exchanged glances when they watched Frankie. A little over a year ago, he was beyond miserable and trying to win her back. Now, he was a completely different person. Everything in their lives was right again.

***

They sat patiently in the private booth at Sol’s waiting for Santi and Rae to join them. Elena leaned into Frankie and sighed as he tossed his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head and smiled, finally believing he deserved his current reality. He never thought he’d actually care about colors, flowers, or invitations, but he did. He loved every step of planning this wedding with her, because it meant they were that much closer to spending the rest of their lives together. Everyone knew they were part of the bridal party already, but they wanted to ask Santi and Rae privately and before he left for Colombia. 

“Tomorrow,” she began, “we really need to decide on our ‘Save the Dates’ so we can get those sent out.”

“I thought we did already,” he replied.

She shook her head. “Last night, we just decided which of the engagement photos to use. We need to pick the layout. I would like to get those sent by next Thursday.”

He smiled. Another small step. “I liked the one where our whole picture is the card and it had that pretty writing on the bottom.”

“Me too,” she grinned up at him. “I’ll order those tomorrow morning, then.”

Frankie leaned down to kiss her. They heard someone gag as they approached them. He chuckled and looked up to see Santi with his arm around Rae. “I’m never going to get used to this,” he laughed, sliding into the booth across from Frankie, “and I practically made this happen.”

Rae, Frankie, and Elena all rolled their eyes as Santiago. “I’m so incredibly happy for the both of you,” Rae smiled as she nudged Santi with her shoulder.

A waitress came over and took their drink order with both of the men ordering whiskey. “So,” Frankie continued the conversation after taking a drink, “when do you leave for Colombia?”

They watched Rae and Santi exchange melancholic glances before he answered, “Next week, but I’ll be back in two months. This is a basic reconnaissance operation. Depending on what we learn will depend on when I have to go back and for how long, and that could be anywhere from a few months to a few years.”

“But he’ll have some leave time during then regardless,” Rae said with a weak smile.

“What about you?” Pope asked, “Tom said you didn’t sign for five more years like you said you would.”

Frankie shook his head. “They called last week for my hearing.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “They gave me two options after reviewing both the drug offence and the assault charges. I could either ‘retire early’ or be dishonorably discharged. They said they recognize the sacrifices I’ve made for my country, and so they strongly urged the first option and they took my flying license.”

“Motherfuckers,” Santi mumbled and shook his head.

He shrugged. “I’m still getting to do what I love. I’m working in Elliott’s Garage, helping Antonio. He has me mainly working on the classic cars, since that’s what Elliott taught me.”

Rae smiled at both of them. Elena gave her a small smile back. As happy as she was that Frankie would never be deployed again, she knew it was his dream to fly, and losing that license crushed a part of him. She wished that she could do something for him, and so since his hearing, she’d been researching ways he could gain back his pilot’s license.

The mood surrounding them had changed, and everyone was desperate to move past the gloom that had moved in. “How’s the wedding planning going?” Rae beamed.

“So far, pretty well. I think we’ve decided on the colors. Dark blue is going to be the central color, to match the guy’s dress uniforms,” Elena replied, “bridesmaids’ dresses will be a similar shade, closer to the shade of their slacks.”

“Oh,” Santi grinned, “we’re wearing our dress blues?”

Frankie proudly nodded. “Make sure you get them cleaned and pressed before. I can’t have my Best Man wrinkled and dusty.”

“Best man? I knew it,” he laughed, “my speech has been written for years. And your bachelor party is going to put any other party to shame.”

Elena turned to Rae and beamed at her. “I’m sure you know I want you to be my Maid of Honor.”

She gave a small grin and nodded. “I’ve just been patiently waiting for you to ask me.”

Santiago laughed at her. “Patiently? Please. Ever since you two got engaged, she hasn’t stopped bringing it up.” He paused before mimicking her voice. ‘When is she going to ask me? Well, maybe she’s going to have María be her Matron of Honor. I can’t believe she hasn’t asked, yet.’”

“I do not sound like that!” Rae exclaimed, slapping his shoulder.

He leaned over to her and kissed her forehead. “Of course you do, my love.”

She giggled and shoved him away. “I’m regretting the decision to let you move in.”

“Woah,” Elena said, holding her hands up, “what did we miss?”

Rae sheepishly glanced over to her and then back to Santi. “A couple of weeks ago, Santi and I were talking and we decided that this was what we both wanted.”

He nodded. “I’m selling my house to Will and Benny. I’ve already started moving my things over.”

Elena grinned and did a small dance in her seat. Frankie held his hand out for Santi to take. “That’s really great, you guys,” Frankie said. 

“It’s been interesting to say the least,” Rae chided.

He took a bite of his meal. “I am the picture perfect housemate.”

Frankie glanced over to Rae and shook his head. “I’m so sorry. If he’s anything like what he was on base, I’m so sorry.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

Rae leaned into him and kissed his cheek. “You’re lucky we love you enough to put up with it.”

“He must have rubbed off a bit on Frankie,” Elena softly said.

“What!” Frankie looked at her offended. 

Elena and Rae chuckled and shook their heads. “I love you, mi Sol,” she whispered to him, “and not even your balled up socks on the floor, next to the hamper can change that.”

He laughed at her and took a drink of his whisky. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close as they enjoyed the rest of their night. Dinner and drinks came and went, but they stayed until close. As the manager was counting the drawers, The future Morales and Rae and Santi headed out to the parking lot, where they said their goodbyes. Elena watched as their two best friends climbed into his Jeep and sped off down the street. Frankie held the truck door open for her as she slid across the seat to the middle. Frankie hopped in and kissed her before starting the engine. “What do you think of them moving in together?” he asked as he threw the truck into reverse.

Elena sighed. “I’m happy for them, but I’m worried about Rae when he leaves for Colombia.”

Frankie nodded, looking both ways before pulling out on the street. “I’m worried about both of them. Deployment was hard last time. If he’s down in Colombia for years, it’s going to really test their relationship.”

She held his hand in hers, running her fingers through his. “They’ve known each other for a long time. Hell, they’ve been together for years. If anyone can make it through this, it’s them.”

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “I can’t believe it, to be honest,” he replied, “Pope is the last one I pictured settling down.”

Elena giggled in agreement. “She told me that he followed your example and wrote her letters - some a little more _risque_ than others.”

“He did. I didn’t know about _that_ though,” his laughter boomed throughout the cab of the truck. He slowled the truck at a stop light and looked at Elena. “He said he’d watched us long enough to realize that he couldn’t lose Rae the way we’d lost each other.”

Elena gazed at him longingly and rested her hand on his cheek. “And we will never lose each other again.”

***

She stood in the dressing room and ran her hands down the skirt of the dress the bridal stylist handed her. Her bridesmaids and mother were sitting out in the waiting room waiting for her to step in front of the mirror. Elena could feel tears at the rims of her eyes as it slowly sank in that she was shopping for her wedding dress. She opened the door and slowly made her way out to the group anxiously waiting. The second Gloria saw her, she gasped and immediately started dabbing her eyes clear of tears. The stylist helped her stand on the platform and fixed the train behind her. She was in a strapless, drop-waist chiffon and lace gown that elegantly flowed down and around her. Elena smoothed the skirt and looked at the group behind her in the mirror. 

“Elena,” Gloria breathed, “you look absolutely beautiful.”

She gave her a half-hearted smile. “Thanks, Mama,” she replied.

Rae looked at her as she sipped on the champagne the attendants handed her. “You don’t like it,” she observed.

She cocked her head to one side and squinted. “I like the lace, but I don’t want a strapless dress. I’ll constantly be pulling it up all night.”

“Try the one I picked out for you,” María said with a smile.

Elena grinned and walked back to the dressing room to pull on the multi-layered taffeta dress. As she stood on the platform, the full skirt and jeweled designs brought the princess look full-circle. It had thin straps to hold up the bust. She scrunched her nose as she looked at it. “I don’t want such a full gown,” she said as she spun to the left and right on the pedestal. 

Rae set her glass down and stood up. “I know just the dress,” she said, as she sped away with the sales associate that was helping them. 

Elena turned and glanced at the group behind her. María smiled at her sister. “How’s the planning going?”

She sighed. “Actually, pretty good. Frankie is looking for a DJ for the reception today, and the guys are helping him.”

María and Carla both laughed and shared knowing glances. “I’m honestly shocked,” Carla said, “David was virtually useless when it came to planning.”

Elena smiled. “Frankie has been more than helpful. There are some things he is basically useless when it comes to it, but when he can help, he does. Last week, he helped me shop for flowers.”

Molly, Tom’s wife, chuckled. “I wish I could have gotten Tom to do the same when we got married, but we were just kids at the time and he was more concerned about the wedding night as opposed to the wedding itself.”

Carla nodded in agreement. “Frankie has always been different though,” she grinned, “as long as I’ve known these two, he’s bent over backwards to his Luna.”

“Do you remember that time she came down with the flu during winter homecoming, and he ditched Marilyn to stay home and make sure she was alright?” María asked.

Gloria leaned forward on her knees. “If I remember, she called the house and broke up with him that night,” she added, “for the second time.”

Rae came back and the associate walked back into the dressing room with another dress for Elena. “Santi and I were left alone at the dance, and we had to listen to Marilyn cry the entire night about how Frankie was so in love with Elena. For the life of her, she never understood why she kept going back to him.”

Elena remembered that night perfectly. Not only was she upset that she was going to miss her senior homecoming, but she was also distraught that Frankie was still with Marilyn. They had broken up just before Thanksgiving and got back together right before the dance. But the second she was too sick to go, Frankie changed all of his plans to stay with her.

She smiled the entire time she walked back to the dressing room remembering the moment. She paused when she saw the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen in her life. Elena could tell by the way it elegantly hung on the hanger that this was the one. She slipped it on with ease and stared at herself in the mirror for a few moments with tears in her eyes. She’d found her dress. Slowly, she made her way out to stand on the platform. Elena heard the entire group collectively gasp as they looked at her in the beautiful lace and silk gown. The bodice had an elegant v-neck that was overlaid with a beautiful lace design that continued to the thick straps that covered the shoulders. The skirt started just at her waist, and was a semi-full silk skirt that swept across the floor. She spun to see the keyhole back and the small train. Just as Elena’s attention turned from the dress to the group, she watched Gloria approach her with tears in her eyes. “I think you found your dress, mija.”

Elena beamed through her own tears and nodded. “Mama,” she said, “will you give me away?”

Gloria covered her mouth for a second. “Of course,” she replied as she hugged her daughter.

Elena looked at the rest of her bridesmaids for approval on her dress. Everyone had the same expression that said it all. Rae picked out the perfect dress for her. Elena turned back around to glance at her dress in the mirror. It was far more beautiful than any other dress she’d seen. She continued to beam as she imagined what Frankie’s face would be when he’d see her walking down the aisle toward him. The anticipation was killing her. The wedding was still months away, and she couldn’t wait any longer. She wanted to run to him right now, in this dress and run away with him: run to the courthouse together and elope. But, deep down, she knew she couldn’t do that. She’d always wanted a big wedding and celebration for the day she finally became Mrs. Francisco Morales, and she knew that he wanted the same. He wanted to show off his beautiful new wife the minute they said those vows. Vows they both have had written for years.

***

Frankie stood in front of the mirror and fixed his jacket before straightening his bow tie. His heart had been racing all morning and his palms were sweaty. Today was the day he’d waited his entire life for, and he couldn’t be more ready. He hadn’t seen Elena since the rehearsal dinner sixteen hours ago. He kept reaching inside of his jacket pocket, making sure that his vows were still there. He’d kept these close to him for a long time, and now he was finally going to share them with her.

Santi walked up behind him with a bottle of water. “Drink,” he said, handing it to him.

He smiled and obliged, turning to face the rest of his groomsmen. He watched as Benny gave Andres a hard time, as usual - having just graduated from bootcamp. David had left to go see his sister, taking Will with him, while Molly was visiting with Tom. He glanced at Santi and wrapped him into a hug. “Thanks, hermano.” 

Pope laughed and slapped him on the back. “For what?”

He let go of him so he could look into his eyes. “If you hadn’t made me come back home two years ago, I wouldn’t be the happiest man alive today.”

“I’d do it all again, too.”

David walked into the room, followed by Will. “She looks beautiful, Fish,” Will said, “Your heart is going to stop the second you see her.”

Frankie’s heart raced faster. “How is she?”

“She’s great,” David said, “she just finished doing her makeup when we walked in, and she was all smiles.”

He looked at the clock on the wall. There was still an hour before the wedding. He groaned at the time and sighed. “I can’t wait to see her, but I know if I walk down there, Gloria and Elena will both murder me.”

There was a light knock on the door, and David answered it. Teresa and Raul stood on the other side, waiting to be allowed in. He felt his anxiety return as he stared at his parents. Teresa was the first to walk forward and wrap Frankie into a hug. “I’m so happy for you, my son,” she smiled, “and I’m incredibly grateful that you invited us.”

He gave her a small smile. “I meant what I said last year. You redeemed yourself in my eyes when you took care of Elena, and despite the past, you have been trying to make up for everything. Thank you for that,” he paused before finishing with, “Mom.”

Teresa gazed at him, shocked with tears in her eyes. It had been years since Frankie had addressed her as something other than her name. She had accepted the fact she’d lost her son the year she brought her second ex-husband into their lives and that she’d never get him back. This small gesture meant the world to her. It meant that Frankie had truly forgiven her. She knew he’d never trust her, but he had made peace with his past. 

Raul approached him next and held his hand out for Frankie to shake. Frankie saw Andres watch their father like a hawk while he congratulated his brother. “It’s about time,” Raul said, “I was beginning to think you were just going to be roommates forever.”

Frankie glared at him. “Seriously? It’s my wedding day, and you can’t muster anything nice to say?”

Raul took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. “I raised you to have tougher skin than that.”

Andres saw Frankie tense, and he slowly stood - ready to come to his aid. “We aren’t debating on who really raised me, today, Raul. I invited you out of common courtesy. If you can’t _not_ be an asshole, then please leave.”

“Fine. I’m sorry,” Raul sighed, “I do mean it though. Congratulations, Frank. I’m glad to see we haven’t fucked you up so bad to turn you off of a happy life with your woman.”

“Thanks,” Frankie mumbled. 

There was another knock at the door before Gloria and Antonio burst in. Gloria rushed right to Frankie and wrapped him in her arms. “Oh, I am so happy I could burst,” she cried.

Raul and Teresea watched as their son interacted with his family and saw someone they knew wasn’t a product of their parenting. He glowed as he held on to Gloria. “You and me both, Mamá.”

She let go of him and fixed his jacket and tie. “I have never seen you look more handsome than right now, mijo. Oh, and your tie is just perfect.”

He grinned. “Just like Elliott taught me,” he said, glancing over to his father to see his pride wounded a little. However, the sudden reminder of Elliott brought a gloom over the room. “He should be here,” Frankie added.

Gloria teared up. “He is,” she gave him a small smile as she rubbed his arm, “and he’s so proud of you.”

Frankie nodded and wiped his eye to catch the tear that was ready to fall. “I just wish I could have asked him,” he whispered.

She hugged him again. “He gave you his blessing a long time ago.” Gloria wiped her eye and rested her hand on his cheek. “Elena looks stunning, mijo, and she can’t wait to see you.”

“When you go back, will you give her something for me?”

“Of course!”

Frankie handed her a small box. “It’s just a small locket I found in her things while we were going through some boxes the other day. I updated the picture and inscribed something on the back.”

Gloria headed for the door. “She’ll love it. See you soon, mijo.”

Frankie didn’t remember saying goodbye to his parents or walking to the altar with his brothers. All he remembered was standing there, waiting for the music to play. And when it did, he was brought out of his trance. The anticipation killed him as he watched each of the six bridesmaids walk down the aisle. When the church doors closed again, he felt his heart race even faster. The music changed, and everyone in the congregation stood as the doors opened to reveal the most beautiful woman in the world standing at the other end of the aisle. He was so enamoured that he barely felt Santi’s hand slap him on the back, his grin growing every second. She was the picture of perfection as she floated toward him. He wanted to run to her, but he couldn’t feel his feet. She had frozen him in place with her bright smile. Just as she and Gloria reached the end, the priest’s voice brought him back to reality. “Who gives this woman to be wed?”

Gloria’s voice shook. “I do,” she replied as she lifted Elena’s veil and kissed her cheek. She joined Frankie and Elena’s hands as she found her seat next to Antonio.

Frankie couldn’t take his eyes off her. “You look breathtaking,” he whispered to her.

“So do you, mi Sol,” she smiled.

He noticed around her neck was the locket he’d given her just moments before, and his heart soared. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If, for any reason, someone believes they should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“Are you kidding? No one’s separating Frankie and his Luna,” he heard Benny say.

The church chuckled and the priest continued. “I have spent the last several months getting to know these two, and I can say I agree. This couple could not be more made for each other. They have decided to write their own vows, as opposed to traditional ones. Elena, if you will.”

She took a deep breath and held onto Frankie’s hands. “I’ve loved you since before I really understood what it meant to love someone. I remember there was one night where you’d fallen asleep while we laid outside under the stars. As I continued to gaze up at the night sky, I saw a shooting star. I wished that I would get to spend the rest of my life married to my best friend, and now here we are. Everything you’ve ever done has always been for us. You are the most selfless, caring man I’ve known, and I promise every day to continue earning your love and devotion. I promise to love you more each day I wake up next to you. You are the love of my life, mi Sol. There has never been and there never will be another one for me. I vow to spend the rest of my life with you with as much adoration and devotion as you have shown me over the years.”

“Francisco,” the priest noted.

Frankie let go of her hands to dig the piece of paper out of his jacket. Elena noted that it was a tattered old envelope and suddenly she felt a lump form in her throat. “I wrote to you every day I was at bootcamp, and every day I was deployed for those ten years,” he breathed, before opening the envelope. “I burned all but one of those letters, because I figured you’d do the same. But the one letter I saved, I knew I had to read to you myself one day.”

Elena covered her mouth as she let him continue. 

“Mi Luna,” he began, “I think about you everyday. I think about you so much, that sometimes I feel this tightness in my chest from the pain of being apart from you. I wish I could take back all my mistakes and be the man that you deserve, but I know this will lead us to the place where we are supposed to be. And, if that means we are together in the end, then it will all be worth it. You already know how long I’ve been in love with you, but you’ll never truly understand how much I love you. I love you so much that Casablanca is actually my favorite movie, only because when I watch it I think of you. You are the reason my heart races every time I look up at the full moon, hoping you are looking too. Every night before I go to bed, I pray that we will find our way to each other.” He folded the letter and put it back into his pocket. “And now we have. I have you back in my life, and I thank God every night for it too. I’ve never felt like I’ve done anything to deserve you, but I could not be more grateful that you chose me. You have owned my heart and soul since I first laid eyes on you. I promise every day to fill your life with love, devotion, and pure happiness.”

The priest let the silence ring for a few more moments before he cleared his throat to continue the ceremony, the exchanging of the rings. Elena was so captivated by Frankie’s vows that she hardly remembered exchanging rings with him. All she wanted to do was jump into his arms. As he slid her ring over her knuckle, he gave her hand a small squeeze and grinned at her. “They have vowed their love and swore themselves to each other in front of you and God. I’m fairly certain that if I delay them any longer, they’ll take the service into their own hands. So, it is my honor to formally introduce to your Mister and Mrs. Francisco Morales. I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Frankie hungrily pulled Elena to him as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply. She rested her hands on the side of his face as she rested her forehead on his. They could hear the applause and the shouting as they kissed again. They straightened their posture as she looped her arm through his. “Follow me, Mrs. Morales,” he laughed.

“I will follow you anywhere, mi Sol.”

They took their first steps as husband and wife out of the church. Frankie was certain that if he didn’t have a hold of her, he’d float away. He could hardly take his eyes off her for the rest of the day. As they sat in the back of the limo on their way to take pictures, she leaned against him and sighed. “I’ve never been so happy in my life, mi Sol.”

He kissed the top of her head and held her close, relishing in the feeling of holding onto his wife. His wife. The thought brought a wide smile across his face. 

“Did you really hold on to that letter this whole time?” She asked, looking up at him.

“I did,” he whispered. He adjusted so he could gaze into her eyes. “I knew one day I would need to tell you, even if that meant we couldn’t be together.”

She craned her neck to kiss him. They couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day, even though they both knew who was missing. This was the day Elena had pictured when she told her father all those years ago that she wanted to marry Frankie. Except, he was there to celebrate with them. Frankie knew Elliott was there watching over them, smiling from above and proud as hell. 

Frankie kissed her again, this time with all the love in his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned her back against the seat, careful not to crush her. She giggled as his kisses tickled her neck and collarbone. “I swear if you leave a love bite on my wedding day…”

He stopped and gazed down at her with a smile. “I won’t,” he paused, “where others can see.”

“Frankie!” She exclaimed. They both laughed before stopping when they gazed deep into the other’s eyes. “So, your favorite movie is Casablanca?”

He gave her his usual boyish grin. “I knew you’d hold that against me.”

She kissed him again as the car rolled to a stop. The driver knocked on the partition to let them know they were at the park for pictures. They adjusted themselves before Frankie helped her out of the car. 

***

Santi stood up with the microphone, ready to give his speech. Rae’s was short and sweet, wishing them the best. When he rose from his seat, he grinned at the two of them and cleared his throat: 

> _“I told Frankie two years ago that I’ve had my speech written for years. Rae and I have known these two since we were in the fourth grade. Rae and I rode the same bus and became instant friends on the way to school. We were sad to learn that we were in separate fourth grade classes. That was until I realized that I was placed in a class where I would meet my brother. Mrs. Robins sat us right next to each other, and she learned that day that was a mistake. All morning, until our recess break, Frankie kept talking about how he wanted to introduce me to his Luna. That I would love her. I thought I had found my best friend that day, but clearly my new best friend was already taken. The second we were outside, he grabbed me by the hand over to her. She was sitting on this wall by the kickball field talking with Rae. It was this day when I learned soulmates existed. I’ve never seen two people complete each other the way these two do. From day one, Rae and I rooted for them, hoping they would see just how in love with each other they were. It took a lot of years and hard work, but they finally saw it. I’m so happy to be standing here as his best man, wishing them a happy life together. So, I would like to propose a toast in honor of two of my best friends. I hope the two of you live each day with more love than the next. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Morales. It’s about damn time!”_

Everyone raised their glasses and cheered for them, clinking them together for the happy couple to kiss. As dinner ended, it was time for their first dance. Frankie led her out on the dance floor before the music stated, and he waited patiently for the DJ to announce them. Elena gasped and grinned at him as the first few piano chords played to “Heaven.”

“I wanted to dance to this with you at David’s wedding so bad,” he smiled as he swayed with her, “so I figured this would be a perfect first dance.”

Elena smiled at him. She couldn’t help but look longingly into his eyes as they listened to the lyrics.

> _“Baby, you’re all that I want_
> 
> _When you’re lyin’ here in my arms_
> 
> _I’m findin’ it hard to believe_
> 
> _We’re in heaven_
> 
> _And love is all that I need_
> 
> _And I found it there in your heart_
> 
> _It isn’t too hard to see_
> 
> _We’re in heaven”_

She lightly kissed him and he let out a soft sigh as he rested his forehead against hers. “You really are my heaven,” he said, “my earth, mi Luna.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and played with the little curls there, sending chills through out his body. “You are my everything, mi Sol.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final A/N: There was almost an ending where they didn’t end up together, and it was going to be heart wrenching. I honestly considered something happening to Elena, and making it Liam’s fault (like a car accident). But I knew several of you would have come through the computer screen to slap me, including myself. I realized that I couldn’t do that to these two, after having put them through so much. So, I hope you enjoyed this ending.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year after Tom’s death, and the gang has found some form of normalcy. This is a glimpse into this large found family that has expanded greatly. The Morales’ have a surprise guest that give them another reason to get together.

_“Tell me the story about how the sun loved the moon so much he died every night to let her breathe.”  
_

**Nine Years Later**

It had been a year since Tom’s funeral, and things were finally getting back to normal. Frankie still wasn’t ready to talk about it, and Elena didn’t want to push him. Something had happened on that trip that changed him, changed their whole group dynamic. Any time they were together, they could feel his absence. When they first returned, months had gone by before any of them spoke to the other, and what hurt the most was that Elena and Rae didn’t know how to fix it. They all lost someone they loved, but now they were losing their family. It wasn’t until six months ago did Will and Benny come over to the farm with Santi and Rae. Slowly, Elena saw the group coming back together - mourning together. Though they were changed, they were now closer than ever. 

She was in the kitchen when someone knocked, which she thought was odd. No one ever knocked at their house; they usually barged right in. “I’ll get it, Mommy!” her daughter exclaimed from the living as she ran to the door.

Elena rushed out to stop her. “Gabriella, wait for me. I’ll answer it,” she said, grabbing her small hand. As she opened the door, her heart leapt with excitement when she saw her brother-in-law standing in front of her with a small duffle bag. She immediately dropped Gabby’s hand and hugged him. “Oh my god,” she cried, “when did you get home?”

He laughed and hugged her. “Two days ago. I made the guys promise not to tell anyone, because I wanted to surprise you and Frankie,” he replied.

“I’ll say this is a surprise,” Frankie said as he walked in from the back porch. He held his hand out for Andres to shake, but then pulled him into a tight, brotherly hug. “It’s been a long time, hermano.”

“Too long,” he smiled before looking down at the little girl in front of him. He squatted down to her level and grinned. “I bet you don’t remember me, Gabs.”

She smiled at him and leapt into his arms. “I remember you, Uncle Andy. You came to my birthday.”

He picked her up and spun her around, drawing a loud giggle out of her. It had been two years since he’d seen his niece, and he couldn’t have been happier to hear those words come out of her mouth. A cry erupted from the living room, and Elena left to go check on him. Andres looked at Frankie and beamed, with Gabby clinging to her uncle’s neck. Elena slowly returned to the foyer bouncing her son on her hip. “Andres,” she said, “I don’t believe you’ve met your nephew.” 

Much to Gabby’s disappointment, Andres set her down and held out his arms for the baby. “This is Elliott,” Frankie said, proudly.

Andres grinned and looked between Elena and Frankie before looking back at his nephew. “You clearly don’t get your looks for your Pops,” Andres said to him, “you’re too good looking to be his kid.”

Frankie rolled his eyes and shook his head. Elliott gazed up at Andres and reached for his nose. “He has a thing with grabbing people’s noses,” Elena laughed. 

Andres scrunched his face at Elliott, which made him giggle. While Andres got to know his nephew, Frankie reached past him to grab his bag and move it to the bedroom. “You’re lucky our grandparents had a lot of children,” he said, “otherwise we wouldn’t have the guest bedroom for you anymore.”

He chuckled and followed him with Elliott in his arms and Gabby attached to his leg. Elena tried in vain to get her off him, but Andres told her it was fine. He missed the attention. “I’m sure you’re aware the whole crew is coming over tonight,” he added.

Elena sighed and took Elliott from him so he could get comfortable. “I figured,” she laughed, “if they knew you were home, they’d come here to celebrate.”

“Is Aunt Rae coming too?” Gabby cried.

“Of course she is, does Uncle Santi go anywhere without her?”

Gabby beamed. “Can Diego come over too, Mommy?”

She and Frankie looked down at the pleading eyes their daughter was giving them. Much like when he looked at Elena, Frankie melted at the sight. He couldn’t tell her no when she gave him that look. He glanced over to Elena who just smiled and nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll call his mother in a minute to ask.”

She cheered and ran to her room, no doubt to clean. “Diego?” Andres asked, with a wide grin.

“She’s got herself a little friend from school,” Elena answered, knowing what was coming next.

“She’s just like her mother,” Frankie huffed, shaking his head.

She turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised. “Oh? Since when was that a problem.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Never, mi Luna,” he kissed her temple. 

“Before you know it, Gabs and Diego will be running off together,” Andres chided.

Frankie glared at him. “You’re not funny.”

Elena laughed and bumped him with her hip. “And how much trouble did _we_ get into at that age?” He stared at her. “Exactly. Besides, I’m sure Rae is bringing Isabella and Gael with them, so they’ll entertain each other.” 

Her expression changed, and she lifted the back of Elliott’s pants. “Someone needs a change,” she said, quickly walking out of the room. 

Frankie sighed as he watched her, with a grin on his face that nothing in the world could wipe off. Andres slapped him on the shoulder. “Congrats, hermano,” he said, “you have a beautiful family.”

His grin widened and he glanced at his brother. “Thanks,” he replied, “they really do mean the world to me.” He took a deep shaky breath. “I don’t know what I would have done without them, especially Elena, when Tom died. She’s the most magnificent woman,” he trailed off.

“Daddy!” Gabby called from the other room.

Frankie sighed with contentment. “And I’m wrapped around her little finger,” he laughed as he took off in the direction of the call.

***

They sat around the bonfire the Miller brothers and Andres had _so elegantly_ built. The Garcia children were running around with Gabby and Diego playing some made up game that was keeping them entertained for hours. Rae cuddled Elliott in her arms and rocked him to sleep, while Elena curled up next to Frankie. “So,” Will said, cracking open another beer, “when do you go back?”

Andres sighed and opened his own. “I’m on leave this month, and then I report back to base next.” He took a swig before continuing. “But after this year, I’m done. I’m going to school for law enforcement.”

Everyone looked at him, utterly shocked. “Really?” Benny asked.

He nodded. “I’m thinking more Federal instead of Local: DEA, maybe FBI.”

Frankie smiled at him. “It’ll be nice having you home,” he said.

Andres glanced around at all of them. He’d missed them all so much, and had seen so much overseas that he couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to be closer to home, those he loved, but still helping people. Ever since he’d reconnected with his brother all those years ago, he wanted to make up for lost time. And not lose any more time with his niece and nephew.

Rae stood up to hand Elena back her sleeping son. “I think it’s time I put someone down,” she smiled. 

Andres hopped up. “I’ll do it, ‘Lena.”

She smiled at him. “Would you grab the baby monitor off the dresser in my room, then?”

“Of course.”

Elena sat back down and curled up next to Frankie again. She looked up at him and craned her neck for a kiss, which he happily gave her. “You’ve been together for years, and that still grosses us out,” Benny gagged.

She chuckled. “You’re just jealous I picked Catfish over you, Benjamin,” she replied, kissing Frankie again.

“Honestly, I’m jealous that you guys let Andres live in your guest room, because he gets to wake up to your cookin’, ‘Lena.”

“Is that the only reason you hang around?” Frankie asked with a laugh.

“Oh, hell no. I love Elena. She’s the best part of you, Fish.” He stretched in his chair, revealing a bruise on his left side.

“What the fuck, man?” Santi asked.

Rae elbowed him. “Language. The kids can hear you.”

“They’re distracted by the little Luna and Sol.”

“Hey!” Frankie exclaimed, flipping him off.

Santi laughed and winked at him. “Anyway, what happened?”

Benny shrugged. “I had a match the other day, and the other guy beat my ass pretty bad.”

“Yes, I did,” Will laughed.

Benny mocked his laugh. “Oh, okay. Except I beat your ass, so it clearly wasn’t _that_ fight I was talking about.”

“Training with your baby brother isn’t as fun when he puts up a good fight,” Will added, taking another drink of his beer.

“So, Will, are you going to tell them about that girl you’ve been seeing,” Benny asked, “or do I get to?”

Elena sat up and looked at Will across the fire. “What?” she exclaimed, grinning and glancing over to Rae. They’d been trying to hook him up with the bartender at _Sol’s_ , and so they secretly hoped that he took their advice and reached out to her.

“Thanks a lot, asshole,” he said through his teeth. He took a breath and looked at Elena. “Yes, I called Liv.”

“Oh, she’s ‘Liv’ now?” Rae teased, “because last time we talked she was _Olivia_.”

“Alright, fine. I called her like two days after you told me to. So, we’ve been dating for about a month now.” He tried to hide his grin by sipping on his beer.

Frankie and Santi sat up now. “What!”

“She’s practically lived at his house for the last week,” Benny said, dodging the small rock Will tossed at him.

“Will! Why didn’t you bring her tonight?” Elena asked.

He shrugged. “I’m not ready. Don’t you remember what happened several years ago, with my ex-fiance? I want to make sure she’s going to stick around before I let her meet the family.”

“Ironhead,” Santi rolled his eyes, “She works at Sol’s. She has met all of us. Hell, she already knows all of us pretty well.”

“Ugh,” Will sunk back in his chair, “fine. Barbeque at my place. Sunday.”

Elena looked over at Frankie and grinned. “We can drop the kids off at Mamá’s tomorrow, so they can spend the weekend there,” he offered before whispering in her ear, “and that gives us some alone time, too.”

She felt her cheeks burn as she smiled. “I think I’ve still got that little number you bought me for our five year anniversary,” she whispered back in a sultry voice.

That sparked something in him that caused him to stir a little in his seat. 

“Seriously, you two?” Benny gagged. 

Santi held Rae close and laughed. “Hey,” he admitted, “we were honestly thinking the same thing.”

Andres joined them, handing Elena the baby monitor like she asked. They filled him in on what he missed, causing the excitement to start all over again. As the night grew on, Rae and Santi packed up their crew and headed back to their house. Diego’s mom had picked him up hours before, and Andres went inside with Gabby. He’d never returned. When Elena went to check on the kids, she saw Gabby and Andress asleep in a blanket fort he’d built them in her room. She grabbed a few blankets to cover them up before turning out the lights. Will and Benny soon followed Santi and Rae, leaving Frankie and Elena outside with peace and quiet. When she’d returned, she saw Frankie unfolding a blanket on the dock. She grinned and made her way out to him. “Don’t get any bright ideas,” she said, “we aren’t in our twenties anymore.”

He devilishly grinned at her. “Honestly,” he said, “I just want to lay down on the dock and look at the sky with my beautiful wife in my arms, just like we dreamed.”

She sat down next to him and kissed him before cuddling up next to him on the plaid blanket that could tell so many stories. “I love you, mi Sol.”

He sighed and held her close. “I love you, mi Luna,” he replied, “more than you know.”

Frankie glanced up at the full moon, his heart beating the same steady rhythm as hers. Finally, as he laid here with the one woman he loved more than anything in the world, he was able to look up at the full moon in pure bliss. He felt himself transported back to a time when they were younger, curled up on the top of the knoll, sharing their hopes and fears with one another, dancing around the fact that they wanted to share the life they dreamed about with each other. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “What?” she asked.

“If only we knew then what we know now,” he said, holding her tighter.

She rolled over and leaned on his chest, looking down at him. Her hair fell around her face, framing it the way that drove him crazy. “Then, let’s spend the rest of our lives making up for lost time,” she breathed as she kissed him deeply. 

He wrapped his arms around her and rolled her over, enveloping her with his body as he continued kissing her. He knew he did nothing to deserve her or the life she’d given him, but he thanked God every night that she chose him. He loved her more every day he woke up next to her, every time he saw her with their children - the children whom he would do anything for. She was his Luna, and he was her Sol.

_“And while the Sun could shine, he knew the Moon could glow.”_


End file.
